Newberry Publix Indicator of Area Growth

NEWBERRY – As first reported by Alachua County Today on May 8, 2023, Publix Supermarkets is coming to Newberry. The Florida grocery chain is anticipated to break ground in the city of Newberry in the fall of this year. In May of 2023, Newberry’s Board of Adjustment (BOA) approved an application for the development of a large shopping center plaza on 9.06 acres of land on the corner of Newberry Road and County Road 235. According to City officials, the development has now received all of the approvals required by the City prior to construction.

At the May BOA hearing, it was anticipated that groundbreaking would take place approximately six months later to allow time for approval from Alachua County, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Suwannee River Water Management District.

Although an opening date has not been set, it is anticipated that the build will take approximately nine to twelve months after groundbreaking, leading to speculation that an opening may take place in fall 2024.

Publix will be one of the newest economic development additions to the city of Newberry and this Publix is anticipated to be the largest to date in Alachua County at 55,000 square feet and 7,700 square feet of retail space.

“A Publix in Newberry is more than a grocery store,” said Newberry Mayor Jordan Marlowe. “Publix does extensive vetting of an area’s growth rates and demographics before establishing a location there, so this move signals a shift in growth patterns. I think that Publix in Newberry is the reward Newberry residents get for the growth and development we’ve worked so hard to attract,” said Marlowe.

City Manager Mike New agrees. “We’ve put a lot of energy into attracting Publix and couldn’t be more excited that they decided to site a store in our town,” New said. “We anticipate further commercial economic development will follow bringing more jobs to our residents, which is something the city commission has been working toward for some time.”

Newberry’s residents, like many citizens of small towns in Alachua County, are concerned about growth and increased traffic. However, their main concerns seem to be centered on increased residential properties and not commercial growth. Many see commercial growth for the job opportunities they present.

Founded in 1930, Publix employs over 250,000 people across seven states in 1,347 store locations and is the largest employee-owned company in the United States with retail sales in 2022 reaching $54.5 billion.

Publix is anticipated to provide upwards of 100 job opportunities based on the number of employees at other Alachua County Publix supermarkets.

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