For 70 years, our slogan has been synonymous with Publix and our pleasurable shopping experience.

It all started when our founder, Mr. George, opened the 1st Publix store in 1930. He wanted to provide premier service with the help of the finest employees. Publix’s 1st motto, “Florida’s Finest Food Stores,” was inspired by this goal. The phrase was seen throughout the 1940s on storefronts, grocery bags and Publix trucks.

As the company expanded, we created an advertising department to promote Publix to our customers. Bill Schroter was hired as director of advertising in 1950. He was working on an ad when he took a hard look at our existing slogan. Bill had been listening to customers’ experiences in our stores, and a common thread tied all their experiences together: Shopping at Publix was a pleasant experience.

He came up with a new slogan, promising our customers that Publix is the place “Where Shopping is a Pleasure.”

Bill approached Mr. George to discuss his new idea.

“Mr. George was very silent for a very long period of time,” Bill once said. “He sort of stared through me for a few minutes. The perspiration sort of popped out on my brow.”

He finally gave Bill a grin.

“I like it,” Mr. George told him. “I like the promise. I like the meaning. Let’s adopt it.”

In 1954, the new slogan was officially adopted.

“This isn’t something we dreamed up out of blue sky and white Florida sand,” Mr. George said about our slogan. “It’s a philosophy that has guided all our decisions and policies ever since we opened our 1st food store. We have tried to make good and sure that nothing, and I mean literally nothing, stands in the way of making that slogan a reality for each and every one of our customers.”

After 70 years, our slogan still promises our customers that we’ll always be the supermarket “Where shopping is a pleasure.”