Since our first store opened, we’ve expanded our fresh departments and added pharmacies, ATMs and Publix delivery services. From the start, we’ve served our communities, donated food and spread the Publix culture. A lot has changed over the last 90 years, but one thing still rings true nine decades later: Publix is where shopping is a pleasure. From our start in September 1930 to our anniversary celebration in September 2020, we look back in time as we get ready for the future.
This is where it all began. Mr. George opened our first store in 1930 in Winter Haven, Florida.
In the 1950s, Publix opened the first Danish Bakery in Lakeland, Florida, offering many tasty treats baked from scratch. Check out these uniforms from 1976!
Today, we are where shopping is a pleasure. But that slogan wasn’t officially adopted until 1954. Prior to that, our original slogan was Florida’s favorite food stores.
Our store designs have changed over the years, including the exteriors. In 1967, our art deco store design architecture was replaced with a winged design. Created by Florida architect Donovan Dean, the new style featured neon lights in the center of the wings that blinked downward, giving off the appearance of a flowing waterfall at night.
In 1972, we introduced our Publix Guarantee: “We will never knowingly disappoint you. If for any reason your purchase does not give you complete satisfaction, the full purchase price will be cheerfully refunded immediately upon request.”
We’ve been forward-thinkers from the start, and we’ve continued to introduce innovations over the years. In 1982, we added in-store scanners and our Presto! ATMs.
We wouldn’t get very far without our Publix truck drivers. In the 1980s, our fleet had 162 tractors and 292 trailers. Now, our fleet consists of 607 tractors and 3,291 trailers!
Some of our associates have been working at Publix for 40 years or longer! Ask around and you might meet someone who worked at Publix when we celebrated our 50 anniversary in 1980.
In 1983, Publix became where shopping is a pleasure every day of the week with the introduction of Sunday store hours.
When our first Publix Pharmacy opened in 1986, Mr. George was the first customer to have his prescription filled.
We added some dino-mite to our stores in 1992 when we debuted our mascot, Plato the Publixaurus! Our mission statement rolled out the same year.
What has now become a Southern staple for fried chicken, sliced deli meats, cheeses and easy meal solutions, the Publix Deli was originally introduced in 1969 as the Delicatessen Department. There, customers could peruse meat and cheese selections. As the department transformed, so did the products it offered. One of the most beloved deli items of all — the Publix Deli Chicken Tender Sub — debuted in the 1990s. This mouthwatering sandwich is so cherished, fans created a website letting the public know whether it was on sale.
Our people put pride in everything they do, including our Publix-brand products. Many of them have become popular household items, especially our Publix Premium Ice Cream. Our Publix private label rolled out in the 1950s, followed by GreenWise in 2003.
Milestone store openings included our 500 store, #550, Miami, in 1995 and our 1,000 store, #1239, St. Augustine, Florida, in 2009. The latter was commemorated with anniversary Coca-Cola bottles. If you do the math, that means it took only 14 years to double our store count!
You like us, you really “like” us! We launched our Facebook page in 2011, and soon followed up with Twitter and Instagram.
Our founder was an innovator, and so are our associates. With the opening of The Green House, our innovation lab, we provide the space needed to test concepts and new ideas before they roll into stores.
