Demolition Begins On 30-Year-Old, Highly-Rated FL Publix To Be One Of The Chains' "New Formats"

Photo byTodd Van Hoosear, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Floridians know that due to the heat and humidity, buildings in the Sunshine State can age over time. And grocery stores are no exception. Repairs are needed and customer tastes change. To that end, it's relatively common for Florida Publix stores to demolish older stores and replace them with new, updated ones. I've written about stores in Fort Myers, Lakeland, and St. Petersburg that have been knocked down for new stores, as just a few examples. And now, it appears that a store in Fort Myers is getting the same treatment.

About The Store In Question: The Publix at 6900 Daniels Parkway in the Daniels Crossing shopping plaza closed in early July of 2024 for demolition and remodeling. This will obviously be inconvenient for patrons who have been shopping at the 30-year-old store for a long time, but some may take solace in the fact that the Publix will have a new feature.

Publix media relations manager Lindsey Willis told News Press.com:

"The new store will be one of our new formats with a seating area upstairs for customers to sit and enjoy their lunch. There is not a restaurant though. It is a seating area only."

The Publix has been reviewed by Fort Myers patrons over 1,100 times and earns 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google reviews. Many complimented the customer service, although a few people did complain about missing items on shelves. A reviewer named John wrote:

"Publix is always clean, brightly lit, and well-stocked. The BOGO's are the loss leaders. You go there for the BOGO's, you leave with the kitchen sink. The staff is friendly and acknowledges you throughout the store. They're very well-staffed. Finding someone to help you is never an issue. Their bakery is awesome."

Demolition Begins With A New Liquor Store Coming: Those driving by the store will probably notice that demolition has begun in mid-August of 2024. The current Publix is 48,890 square feet and the new one will be 48,387 square feet with a 3,010-square feet Publix Liquors store. The opening is planned for June of 2025.

Additional retailers in this shopping plaza are Duck Donuts, Quest Subway, and The UPS Store.

The author is not affiliated with Publix or any other retailers.