Publix Super Markets Inc. is starting 2014 much like it did 2013 – redeveloping and remodeling its Duval County stores.
So far, construction costs alone over the past year total $6.8 million.
The renovations coincide with an expanding grocery market in the county and the area.
Smaller and newer chains, such as Aldi, Trader Joe's, Freshfields Farm, Earth Fare and GFS Marketplace, are opening stores, while Walmart Neighborhood Market, Rowe's Supermarkets and The Fresh Market are adding locations. The merged Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo is acquiring other stores in the Southeast.
In recent weeks, the Lakeland-based privately held Publix chain filed plans to remodel its stores along Argyle Forest and Normandy boulevards.
They are just the latest in a list of at least seven Duval County Publix stores for which renovation plans were filed since January 2013.
The projects announced or completed in the last 12 months include the Publix stores at:
• 9518 Argyle Forest Blvd., 40,786 square feet, $550,000.
• 7749 Normandy Blvd., 45,170 square feet, plus a pharmacy remodel, totaling $710,000.
• 2771 Monument Road, demolition of the existing store and construction of a 53,865-square-foot store, $3.5 million.
• 4320 Deerwood Lake Parkway, 43,840 square feet, $780,830.
• 4495 Roosevelt Blvd., 50,944 square feet, $325,000.
• 9100 Merrill Road, 50,327 square feet, $517,838.
• 12620 Beach Blvd., 51,420 square feet, $400,000.
The publix.com site shows almost 30 Publix stores in Duval County.
Publix operates 1,076 supermarkets in five states, with 756 stores in Florida. The others are in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.
It intends to open in North Carolina this year.
The Shelby Report of the Southeast trade publication ranks Publix as the No. 2 chain by market share in Northeast Florida behind Walmart, which dominates the market with its Supercenters.
Shelby's January issue ranked Walmart No. 1 in the North Florida/South Georgia market, comprising Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tallahassee, Albany and Brunswick.
Walmart, with 62 stores, captured 30.1 percent of the market, while Publix, with 108 stores, came in a very close No. 2 with 29.7 percent.
Winn-Dixie's 93 stores took 18.1 percent of the market.
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