If we could travel back to the Publix days of the late 1950s, we would see amazing growth opportunities in southeast Florida that would lead to the opening of the Miami Division.
The story goes like this. Back in May 1959, Publix opened its first store in the Miami area, and two more later that year. By November that year, the opportunity to buy six Grand Union Super Markets came across Mr. George’s desk, and he took it. Although this area was extremely competitive and many colleagues in the food business warned Mr. George Publix wouldn’t make it, we opened 14 more stores in this area over the next four years.
This new market was growing fast and furious for Publix; so much so that the need to build a distribution facility down south was evident. Mr. George also needed people to help lead the Miami Division, then called the Southeast Coast Division, so he appointed two people he knew would be successful — Pete Newsome as vice president of warehousing and distribution, and Charlie Capps as vice president of store operations.
Pete recounts what Mr. George said when he gave the charge to open the division: “We’re going to open the division in Miami. I’d like for you two fellows to go down there and run it. Pete, your experience is primarily warehouse and distribution and office management. You can take that. Charlie, yours is primarily store. You can take that. Y’all share it. In the absence of one, the other can do the job. If you ever get in a situation you can’t handle, come to me.” The two decided right away they would handle everything that came their way.
As of April 22, 1963, it was official — the Southeast Coast Division office and Grocery Distribution Center in Miami opened and was ready to serve the division’s 23 stores.
Even though this territory was full of fierce competitors and many industry leaders who doubted Publix’s ability to be successful, the Miami Division grew and prospered. Today, the Miami Division consists of 261 stores and three warehouses.
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Read more about what happened this month in Publix’s history.
- April 11, 1950 — Publix broke ground for the warehouse and office on U.S. Highway 92 in Lakeland, Florida. Navigate back to the February edition of Publix News to read more about the opening of this warehouse and office.
- April 1974 — Publix opened the 204,500-square-feet Jacksonville distribution terminal.
- April 4, 1983 — The Board of Directors voted to open all 245 Publix stores on Sunday, beginning April 24. Operating hours were 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.
- April 1, 1984 — The Lakeland Deli Plant opened.
- April 8, 1996 — Publix mourned the death of our founder, Mr. George.
- April 19, 2004 — Publix announced entry into the Montgomery, Alabama, market with four new stores to be constructed and opened by December 2005.
- April 21, 2005 — Publix opened its first Hispanic store format, Publix Sabor, in Kissimmee, #1053.
