Winn-Dixie celebrated its 100th anniversary in September, an event that looked to be in doubt for the Jacksonville-based grocery chain.
Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket, was sold to Aldi in 2024 and the German grocer began closing stores to convert them to its banner.
But in February, the fate of Winn-Dixie changed.
A consortium of private investors – led by Southeastern Grocers CEO Anthony Hucker who was running the company for Aldi – acquired Southeastern Grocers.
The deal included about 170 Winn-Dixie stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, along with the chain’s liquor store business. Stores continue to be converted into the Aldi brand.
Southeastern Grocers said the decision to buy the stores from Aldi was “driven by a deep belief in the company’s potential and our commitment to our longstanding heritage.”
The moves for Southeastern Grocers continued throughout 2025.
In October, it announced it would be shedding most of its stores outside Florida to focus on its home state. The company also moved its headquarters to its Edgewood Support Center in West Jacksonville from Baymeadows.
Another change is yet to come.
Southeastern Grocers said that in early 2026 it will have a new name – The Winn-Dixie Co.
Otto Aerospace announced plans in June to establish a $430 million manufacturing and production facility to build its Phantom 3500 jet at Cecil Airport.
The Jacksonville City Council approved a $20 million incentive package for the aircraft company. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority added $34.9 million in incentives.
Otto, based in Texas, plans to relocate its headquarters to Jacksonville. In total, the move is expected to create a local workforce of about 1,200. The relocation was code-named Project Bluebird in city and JAA documents.
The first test flight of the Phantom 3500 is planned in 2027, with certification and deliveries targeted for 2030.
Otto plans to start at Cecil’s Hangar 825 before building a 180,000-square-foot manufacturing facility for the Phantom 3500.
The JAA is preparing for Otto’s arrival with a request for qualifications issued Sept. 18 seeking a consultant to oversee the $22.5 million extension of Taxiway E at Cecil Airport.
Otto announced Sept. 29 that aviation company Flexjet will be the launch customer for its Phantom 3500 business aircraft.
Flexjet is confirmed to have an order for 300 of the corporate jets it plans to manufacture at Cecil Airport. The carbon-fiber Phantom 3500 is designed with laminar-flow aerodynamics to reduce fuel consumption by more than 60% over competing aircraft.
Indiana-based Becovic Management Group gave Downtown advocates reason for hope Dec. 4 when it announced a plan to purchase the Laura Street Trio of historic buildings plus the restored Barnett National Bank Building.
Becovic said it planned to renovate the Trio with multifamily units, a hotel, commercial and retail space and a restaurant. For the 18-story Barnett building, Becovic said it planned to finish uncompleted renovations by building-out a planned amenities center on the third floor and converting two other floors to residential uses.
Becovic closed on the Barnett building Dec. 10, purchasing it for $15.63 million. As of Dec. 22, it had yet to close on the Trio, which comprises the Florida Life Insurance, Bisbee and Marble Bank buildings at northeast Laura and Forsyth streets.
Becovic’s involvement with the Trio comes after three redevelopment incentive deals between the city and former owner SouthEast Development failed to launch and a potential sale agreement with Jacksonville-based Live Oak Contracting fizzled.
Becovic is headquartered in the Indianapolis suburb of Fisher, Indiana, and has offices in the Bank of America Tower at 50 N. Laura Street. The company is led by owner and President Muhamed Becovic, and was founded in 1973.
The group has developed and sold luxury apartment developments in Northeast Florida.
Reacting to news of the sale, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan issued a statement citing it as a sign that the city’s “efforts to revitalize Downtown Jacksonville are reaching critical mass.”