Florida's premier supermarket chain was founded by George Jenkins, who opened his first Publix food store in Winter Haven, Florida, on September 6, 1930. Jenkins borrowed the name "publix" from a defunct theater chain.
Graphic from Publix Super Markets, Incorporated
Store number one encompassed 3,000 square feet of selling space. The second location, also in Winter Haven, was known as the Economy Food Store. It welcomed first customers in 1935.
Photo from https://blog.publix.com
"Mister George" Jenkins built a third Winter Haven store and -as a result- closed his two corner grocery operations. The new Publix Super Market was officially dedicated on November 8, 1940. At the same time, the company went public, under the heading Publix Super Markets, Incorporated.
Photo from https://blog.publix.com
Covering 11,000 square feet, the new Publix "food palace" featured fluorescent lighting, electric-eye (self-opening and closing) doors and in-house floral and donut departments.
Photo from www.floridamemory.com / State Library & Archives of Florida / John Gordon
Additional features included piped-in music, frozen food cases, a meat department and central air-conditioning. The fledgling Publix enterprise was soon expanded with the acquisition of the nineteen-unit All American Stores chain, of Lakeland.
Photo from www.floridamemory.com / State Library & Archives of Florida / John Gordon
Newly-acquired All American Stores were quickly converted into Publix supermarkets. In 1948 (the date of the first trademark), the company was operating twenty stores. By 1952 (the date of the second), the corporate offices and distribution facilities had been moved from Winter Haven to Lakeland. Smaller stores were being replaced by supermarkets, of which there were now twenty-four.
Graphics from Publix Super Markets, Incorporated / https://logolook.net
A new corporate symbol was introduced in 1955. Publix now gave out S & H Green Stamps as a customer incentive. Soon, the chain was the largest Green Stamps vendor in the United States. In 1957, full-service bakeries were installed in stores. A first Miami location began business in 1959, when the chain consisted of fifty-five stores.
Graphics from Publix Super Markets, Incorporated / https://logolook.net
The "winged design" store was envisaged by Florida architect Donovan Dean. It made its debut in 1956. Depicted above is a St. Petersburg unit, which welcomed first shoppers in 1963. GATEWAY MALL, added to the north side of the store, was officially dedicated in March 1968. The 100th Publix supermarket had been completed in 1964.
Publix developed -and co-anchored- Tallahassee's NORTHWOOD MALL. The 45,000 square foot Publix supermarket opened -along with the shopping complex- in May 1969. At this time, the chain was overseeing 150 stores...all located in the Sunshine State.
Photo from www.floridamemory.com / State Library & Archives of Florida
The store count of 1970 stood at 157. Two years later, an updated logo made its debut.
Graphic from Publix Super Markets, Incorporated
Speaking of 1972, here we see a customer filling out a check to pay for her grocery order. In those days, there were no debit cards. One either paid with a check, or cash. Publix entered the Jacksonville market in 1974.
Photo from https://blog.publix.com
The first Universal Product Code scanners were introduced -at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio- on June 26, 1974. Publix was quick to convert to the new format, with scanners up and running at seventy-three stores in 1979. By then, the company was operating 234 supermarkets, with each having delicatessens and in-store bakeries.
Photo from https://blog.publix.com
Meanwhile, a low-margin, discount division was introduced by the Publix company. Known as Food World, it encompassed twenty-three Central Florida stores in 1979. The Food World division was shuttered in the 1980s.
Photo from https://blog.publix.com
Publix started building superstores in the 1980s. These covered 30,000 to 39,000 square feet. The first combo food & drug unit opened -in Orlando- in 1986. In 1991, a 65,000 square foot location was dedicated. The first Georgia Publix debuted -in Savannah- in November 1991, with South Carolina's first inaugurated in December 1993. The 500th store began business in 1995. The Alabama market was entered in July 1996.
Photo from https://corporate.publix.com
Publix opened its first Tennessee stores -in Greater Nashville- in October 2002. The 1,000th store began business -in St. Augustine- in February 2009. A Charlotte, North Carolina location welcomed shoppers in February 2014, with the first Virginia unit dedicated -in Richmond- in July 2017. The Kentucky market was entered -with a Louisville store- in 2023. At this time, Publix was operating 1,344 supermarkets.
Graphic from Publix Super Markets, Incorporated
PUBLIX JUNIOR-ANCHORED SHOPPING MALLS:
*COLONIAL PLAZA, Orlando (1956)
*HOLLYWOOD MALL, Hollywood, FL (1964)
*SEMINOLE CENTER / MALL, Seminole, FL (1965)
