by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Jacksonville-based Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. embarked on a program to “transform” selected stores among the 484 it operates in the five states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
In Northeast Florida, the Fortune 500 company is transforming the store at 2220 County Road 210 in St. Johns County, not far from Duval County and an area near St. Augustine and several golf-course communities.
The stores are renovated floor-to-ceiling at a cost of about $5.5 million, almost triple the average renovation cost of $2 million. The changes result in increased sales, which Winn-Dixie has said reach an average $475 per square foot, a 60 percent increase from the average $300 at its other stores.
Store Director Greg Stanford took over in January as the renovations started. The store remained opened and successful, he said. The heavy lifting was done at night when the store was closed.
The transformation is focused on fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood along with freshly prepared foods and specialty stations, as well as a wine area. The store features higher ceilings, wood and polished concrete floors and improved shelving.
There’s also a community seating area with free coffee and Wi-Fi.
Winn-Dixie has three completed “transformationals” in Mobile, Ala., Covington, La., and in Margate. The transformed Apopka store will open Aug. 3, followed by the County Road 210 store.
The Apopka and Jacksonville locations are the first of 17 transformational stores to open in the current fiscal year, which ends in June.
Stanford, a Florida State University graduate with a degree in psychology, joined the chain 26 years ago in high school and made it a career. He also lives nearby with his wife and daughters and is active in the community, as is the store.
A grand opening is scheduled Aug. 10.
“It’s a stepping stone to the future,” said Stanford.
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