709 E. 3rd Ave
Welcome to the Indian River Village Publix!
Once again, we're in the Sunshine State! And you can't stay in Florida without going to Publix. So, today, we'll be taking a tour of one of the three Publix locations in the town of New Smyrna Beach, located about 15 miles south of Daytona Beach. Publix first opened a location in this shopping center on June 23, 1976. They closed the store on July 8, 2002, and soon after demolished and rebuilt it, with the new location opening not much later on December 12, 2002. A fun fact about this store is that former Publix CEO and current executive chairman Todd Jones began his career with the company as a bagger at this store in 1980. Thanks to Albertsons Florida Blog for all of that info! This is our first time at a Publix since last February, so let's head inside and check this store out...
We enter on the left side of the store, with the pharmacy up on the front wall next to the entrance. This store has Publix's current decor, known as Evergreen. It previously had Sienna/Classy Market 3.0, and I would think it opened with Metallic Marketplace, but don't quote me on that.
A small floral department is next to the pharmacy. While I don't hate this decor, it's definitely pretty gray (especially for a decor called Evergreen).
The deli and bakery departments are in the front corner as we transition to the right side of the store. The deli department was already quite busy for mid-morning.
Across from the deli department is a soda fountain, which isn't unusual at all for Publix, but I definitely don't see it at supermarkets in my area.
The large produce department is in the back right corner. Now we're seeing green!
While the deli and bakery departments are pretty big, the seafood counter on the back wall is quite small.
The meat department takes up much of the back wall. The white meat cases go well with this decor, but they seem pretty dated compared to darker ones.
Aisle 8, with various items that can be read and other general merchandise.
And the last aisle of the store contains dairy and frozen items. There's a small beach section at the end of this aisle. This is the town's closest supermarket to the beach (a Winn-Dixie and another Publix are further back, a Food Lion-turned-Dollar General Market is to the south, and a Walmart Supercenter is on the other side of I-95).
Now we're checking out of this store and probably chatting with our cashier and bagger. Publix definitely has the friendliest employees out of any supermarket chain I've been to.
And, before we go, here's a look at the Publix Liquors located in one of the neighboring strips. Publix is a co-anchor of this center, along with Bealls (making it a very Floridian plaza).
Other Images of Interest
Street View Images
2019
Prior to the remodel to Evergreen, this store definitely had a more vibrant color scheme.
Nearby competition
2.5 miles away: Dollar General Market of New Smyrna Beach
This store's geographically closest competition is this Dollar General Market on South Atlantic Avenue. It opened on November 19, 2012 as the first such store in the Daytona Beach area. The store was originally a SuperX Food & Drug in the mid '80s, and was acquired by Food Lion in the late '80s before closing in February 2012.
3.4 miles away: Winn-Dixie of New Smyrna Beach
Next week, we'll be taking a tour of the New Smyrna Beach Winn-Dixie, which opened in 1996 as a "Marketplace" store replacing their previous location in town from 1984. People driving into NSB from I-95 will drive past this store before this Publix, but the latter seemed more popular.
4.6 miles away: Aldi of New Smyrna Beach
The New Smyrna Beach Aldi opened on August 4, 2016, on formerly empty land. This store lost a close competitor last August when Aldi acquired Winn-Dixie, making them sister stores.
Thank you for joining me on this tour! This was a pretty nice Publix, and I always love going to unfamiliar stores. I have been to other Publix locations before, but the only one I really remember is the one in Orlando that we toured in February, and that's a small-format store, unlike this one. Join me next week as we head to the Winn-Dixie in town! The Retail Connection: Where Shopping is a Pleasure.
Welcome back to Florida, and it's fun seeing another Publix on The Retail Connection! Publix must have remodeled this store toward the end of 2023 or at the very beginning of this year, as "Evergray" had a slight tweak in the last few months, debuting a new font for all the department signs (other than the font, everything else about the decor is the same, including all the gray). This is the variant with the new font, in case you're curious: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PwyMEbNoHRAR2qaa7
ReplyDeleteEvergreen doesn't look too bad in this store. It looks cohesive with the fixtures and overall ambience of the building. You are correct that this store opened with Metallic Marketplace - the gray tile pattern on the backsplash of the deli and bakery is a remnant from Metallic Marketplace, though it's the only obvious remnant from that decor I spotted in here.
Interestingly, there were actually 2 Food Lions in New Smyrna Beach - the one you pictured was actually built new as a Food Lion in 1990. The other Food Lion in town on North Causeway was the old SupeRx Food & Drug. That Food Lion was heavily damaged during the 2004 hurricanes and never reopened, and the SupeRx/Food Lion building and attached shopping center were demolished shortly after. The site of the other Food Lion was this plot of land, which I believe was recently redeveloped into a new condominium complex: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CuNnJHgf6xNupQuB6
Looking forward to next week's post!
Thanks for the welcome! Even though I'm on the way back now and writing from a hotel in Lumberton, NC. But I was still in Florida earlier today!
DeleteI didn't know the decor was updated with the new font. I do think it looks better, despite not being drastically different. I agree that it looks pretty good in this store; probably even better than Sienna did. And thanks for confirming the OG decor!
I was a little surprised to learn (read: misunderstand) that the Atlantic Ave Food Lion was originally a SuperX, since it looked so much like a purpose-built FL. After realizing that it was a FL on Street View, I went to the My Florida Retail list and must have only found the other location without checking the addresses. So thanks for that correction! I still think it's crazy how far Food Lion spread at one point.
Thanks for your comment!
It didn't take you long to write this post! I agree, it's fun seeing another Publix on the blog, and I'd agree with AFB's timeline. Publix #1573, possibly the first store with the current flavor of Evergreen, was wrapping up its remodel around March which means the New Smyrna Beach store probably finished up before the new year.
ReplyDeleteThe tan skin on all of the refrigerated cases dates back to the late-00's or early-10's so they aren't that old. It is surprising, however, that Publix didn't install door retrofit kits in the dairy section as part of this remodel.
In my opinion, the 45T stores are some of the best looking Publixes to sport Evergreen as a remodel package. The fact that they are some of the only stores to maintain the Metallic Marketplace-style shed roofs serves to their benefit in this case because the feature adds dimension to otherwise blank walls. Speaking of Metallic Marketplace, AFB was correct that the grey checkered tile pattern hails from the package, but he was incorrect in stating that this store opened with MM. During the early-2000's, Publix actually had three simultaneously active sister packages that seemed to be used in specific situations. Wavy Pastels was kept around as the primary remodel package and was still used in a couple of prototypes, Metallic Marketplace was almost exclusively used in 44T and 54T stores, while the early version of Classy Market 1.0 was reserved for 45Ts (like this), 61Ms, and special acquisitions.
I'm excited to see what you witnessed at the WD!
No, it didn't! And I'm glad you enjoyed this post! Thanks for that information - that seems to be right considering Google Photos.
DeleteSo you're saying this store originally had Classy Market 1.0? That is interesting! I would have thought it would have opened a little too early for that. Also, I clicked on that "special acquisitions" link, and, wow, it is weird to see those aisle markers be blue, not green!
I witnessed a lot at WD! All living former presidents were there, as was Taylor Swift, who put on an impromptu concert. And then everyone was given $100,000 in Winn-Dixie store credit, and I was able to convince them to get rid of all Aldis in the Philadelphia area and replace them with Winn-Dixies so I can use the credit. And apparently they've purchased a few ShopRites to take over, too. It'll be a great post!
Yes, this store originally had Classy Market 1.0, and that package was used as early as 2001.
DeleteLOL.
I see they do not have the cheap, flimsy-looking "Fusion" shopping carts. Even by non-Fusion standards, these ones are different from the 4140 carts they ordered after the Tote buyout; these look to be the boxy 1412 (which Wanzl NA somehow still offers). Some of them are definitely newer due to the facelifted basket wire pattern. Odd choice; I would be real interested in what model of Tote Cart they had before switching to Wanzl (Technibilt).
ReplyDelete