Each day, the new Publix and Office Depot leap closer to opening day. The parking lot is paved, much of the landscaping is in and workers are tying up loose ends on cable and patching up walls. With blue skies above and mild weather, working outside this time of year is almost a dream.
The building facades are pretty much done and looking nice. They still need to line the parking, but most of the rest of the outside work is complete. I’m pretty sure that nothing has been done inside any of the buildings. I had been told that projected opening dates were in April, but at this time, it seems unlikely that anything will be open before May.
Many of you have asked what is going in at the old location, and unfortunately, at this time, I don’t really have any good info on that. I did call Equity One, the publicly traded company that owns it along with many other retail properties all over the southeast, and they declined to tell me anything. So, I guess we’ll find out sometime in the future!
PCBDaily 
Dunkin Donuts are pretty good. Good breakfast to go, not just Donuts. They are everywhere up north.
LikeLike
I love Dunkin Donuts! I’m so happy they’re opening soon!
LikeLike
I shop at Publix every week, but only buy necessities there as it is really too expensive. I NEVER buy any pastry items, only Donald Trump can afford to pay 3.99 for 4 cherry filled pastries – they go for $2.50 for the same thing at Wally World. On the very slim plus side, the milk is reasonably priced and they do have FREE pharmacy items for about 5 or so anti-bacterial items. However, except for those free fills I found that Wal Mart is much better for other pharmacy items. I was paying about sixty cents a pill for a blood thinner that I take and at Wally World it runs thirteen cents a pill. If you are buying any worth while amount of grocery items you might as well drive a bit further and go to Wal Mart, even if the one in PCB has a lot in common with a zoo.
LikeLike
As with anything else, you get what you pay for. Walmart is filthy dirty and there is no service to speak of. With my medical insurance it doesn’t matter if I buy the Rx at Walmart, Walgreens, or Publix, so I go to Publix since I do most of my shopping there. Most of the pastries at Walmart are inedible, regardless of the price. At least the bakery items at Publix are relatively fresh and appealing looking. Same with produce. For dry goods and toiletries, I agree Walmart is a great place, but for any of the “edge of the store” products (deli, meat, produce, bakery, etc.) Publix wins hands-down.
LikeLike
I am excited to have an Office Depot on the Beach. It saves from having to go over the bridge so often.
I am also glad to have a “newer” Publix on Back Beach. There is a “new” Publix on Thomas Drive that I like.
Dunkin Donuts will be good for giving the northern tourists a recognizable restaurant / coffee shop.
LikeLike
Trust me..I would rather pay more for the service I get at publix. I went in Thursday and I have not been there in 5 month… the blond headed girl that works at the Service Desk remembered me….even asked if I was wearing my hair shorter now. I was shocked. They always have registers open..most of the time all of them. That is rarely the case at Wal-Mart. I had to go to WM bc Publix was closed late Thursday night and stood in line for 20 minutes. Do you think they were opening more than the 4 registers they have open…no. You know it always baffles me why they install so many registers in Wal-Marts (any of them) I have yet to be in one where they use even half of them. Also, *most* of the employees at Wal-Mart seem to hate the world. I dont know if it is because they know people are going to shop there or what. Anyways, enough on my Wal-Mart rant…the only thing I hate about going to Publix is the fact that it reminds me that we dont have one in Dothan! LOL.
LikeLike
It’s not that the employees at Walmart hate the world, they are just tired. They are tired from working screwed up shifts and split off days. They are tired of management treating like dirt and having their rights being trampled on.
They are tired of the Manager telling them that if they don’t like it, they should get another job and everyday, they rub the unemployment situation in their faces.
They are tired of other Walmarts that are not making as much money as the beach Walmart, giving their employees bonuses, yet this new manager at the beach store is so greedy and unorganized, they get nothing.
They are especially tired of having their hours cut, yet Walmart has hired temp workers.
They are tired of customers who talk to them as if they were idiots. They are tired of people stealing everyday and going through the store eating, never paying for the food and then sticking the trash and food that’s left over in a bin. They are tired of springbreakers defecating and uninviting in the fitting floor.
LikeLike
POUND for POUND–DUNKIN DONUTS will never be in the same taste class as Thomas Donuts. Through the years many donut shops on the beach have come and gone, while Thomas Donuts has stood the test of time and taste !!!
LikeLike
oh, i can’t wait for Dunkin Donuts, but beleive you me, I love Thomas Donuts. They are THE place to go if you want a good quality local donut. In fact, I need to do a feature on them for our new site.
LikeLike
north miami fL.
LikeLike