Publix was founded with innovation in mind. Decades later, this principle lives on.

In 1930, Mr. George opened the doors to the 1st Publix store in Winter Haven, Florida. In the midst of the Great Depression, Publix prospered. His 1st 2 stores set a new precedent for cleanliness and beauty, as well as the Publix standard of providing premier service.

Then, Mr. George opened a new store in 1940, the 1st Publix Super Market. Air conditioning. Fluorescent lighting. Electric-eye doors. Frozen food cases. Piped-in music. Flower shops. Eight-foot-wide aisles. Open dairy cases designed to Mr. George’s specifications. What seems to be standard to Publix shoppers today was innovative to many in 1940. People traveled from miles away for the enjoyable shopping experience and amenities.

As Publix grew in the 1950s, so did the Publix spirit. Expansion continued at full speed through the ’60s with the introduction of the Publix Deli. In the ’70s, we added divisions, and by the ’80s, Publix continued to be an industry leader for innovation, as we introduced checkout scanning at all stores and launched the Presto! ATM network.

In 1991, Publix crossed state lines for the first time, opening a store in Savannah, Georgia. Today, Publix spans 7 states with over 1,300 stores, 10 distribution centers and multiple manufacturing facilities. We are the largest employee-owned company in the United States, with more than 240,000 associates.

To read more about Publix’s history of innovation, visit corporate.publix.com.

These aisles are wide! A car drives through a Publix store.

Mr. George’s “food palace,” the 1st Publix Super Market that opened in 1940.

Mr. George with a bakery associate.

Customers lined up for the grand opening, in front of never-seen-before electric-eye doors.