The new Publix is all set to go and scheduled to open on May 20 in Panama City Beach.  Replacing the current location at the intersection of Middle Beach Road (Hutchison Blvd) and R Jackson Blvd (formerly Beckrich), the new Publix will be around 5,000 square feet larger ringing in at around 54,000 square feet.

I got a sneak peak inside yesterday and all the shelving is up and much of the store is stocked and ready to go.  “The shelved merchandise from the old store will go to other stores, it won’t come here,” said Tom Screws, the General Manager.

Along with the opening of Publix, will come a Dunkin Donuts and an Office Depot, although there is more specific news on the Office Depot in the video.  I will say I was a little disappointed.

In addition, the completed CRA on R Jackson Blvd (formerly known as Beckrich Road) is looking good.  The widening and overall beautifucation is a refreshing example of what all of our major traffic corridors will look like in due time.  I, as well as most of you, anxiously await the day when the rest of the CRA is complete.  I just hope they don’t rename every street that is redone.

I do have one question for city officials.  What is the maintenance program set in place for all the beautiful landscaping that was put in on Beckrich Road?  There are TONS of weeds coming up in the median and it will not take long for it to look taken over and very unkept.