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Highlands Today

Publix To Open New Store In Sebring

Jasmina Meyer/Highlands Today

Publix will open it's largest store in Highlands County on Oct. 30. Even a few people have mistakenly wandered into the store with shopping carts.

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By BILL ROGERS

Highlands Today

Published: October 26, 2008

SEBRING - Publix will be opening its largest store in Highlands County this week.

The store, located just north of Sebring Parkway at 3610 U.S. 27 N., will open at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30.

In addition to the traditional grocery, meat, produce, dairy and frozen food departments, the 53,500 square-foot store will contain the following full-service departments: bakery, deli, fresh seafood and pharmacy.

Shannon Patten, spokeswoman for the grocery chain, said the store will have a lobster tank and a full-service sushi section.

This store will also include a 3,500 square-foot Publix Liquors, which is more than double the size of an average Publix Liquors, according to Patten. She said the liquor store will have mixers, sodas and tobacco products. Lottery tickets will also be sold there.

Approximately 110 people, including full-time and part-time workers, will be employed at the store, which was an Albertson's before Publix bought several of them earlier this year.

Publix closed on the Sebring property on Sept. 8 and construction began the following day.

Patten didn't know the exact number of former Albertson's employees who will be working in the store. She said it is "a good mix."

Store hours are 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

The pharmacy will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Hours for Publix Liquors are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned with music provided by a jazz band.

Reusable bags will be given to the first few hundred customers. Patten said there will be food samples through out the store and product giveaways.

Patten added that food-related characters including Tony the Tiger and Chiquita Banana Girl might be in attendance.

Publix is privately owned and operated by its 140,000 employees, with 2007 sales of $23 billion. Currently Publix has 952 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.

The convenience store located in front of the new Sebring Publix is now a Citgo Express Mart. It is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.

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