Albertsons Grocery Stores in Tallahassee Gone?

On a drive through Tallahassee last month, I noticed both the Albertson's on North Monroe and the one up on Thomasville Road were both closed--sitting there empty and forlorn.

Has Albertson pulled out of the Tallahassee market?  That North Monroe location had been there for at least three decades and it was quite the shock to see it all shuttered up.

What's going on down there in the Capital City?

I can't figure it out myself. Albertson's was acquired by Supervalu in 2006. It sounds like one of those deals where to pay for the acquisition, they had to sell off some of the assets. They sold a lot of Florida stores to Publix for half a billion. Wikipedia has a tale:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertsons_LLC

To me, it looks like they got out of Central and Northern Florida. If Publix wouldn't buy the store, they just closed it.

David_NYC


I can't figure it out myself. Albertson's was acquired by Supervalu in 2006. It sounds like one of those deals where to pay for the acquisition, they had to sell off some of the assets. They sold a lot of Florida stores to Publix for half a billion. Wikipedia has a tale:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertsons_LLC

To me, it looks like they got out of Central and Northern Florida. If Publix wouldn't buy the store, they just closed it.

Interesting--Publix has bought up its major competitor in Florida. Both of those Tallahassee stores were located within a quarter mile of an existing Publix, so I can see why they didn't convert them into Publixes.

Kind of the end of an era though. That Albertson's on North Monroe had a liquor store attached and way back in the '80s they carried an obscure (deserverdly so!) South African red wine that sold for $1.50 a bottle. It was undrinkable as such, but it made for a passable sangria that we 'enjoyed' many a sumemr Sunday afternoon.

Here in Port Saint Lucie, Fl there is one Albertsons open. It seems to do pretty well though it's only about 1/2 mile from Publix. There used to be a second Albertsons but it closed several years ago. In our area there are 7-8 Publix stores, one Winn-Dixie the Albertsons mentioned above and one Bravo. Publix has definitely won the super market battle around here. IIRC Albertsons first appeared in Florida in the late 70's, early 80's.
Winn-Dixie would probably be considered Publix biggest competitor in Florida though they too have fallen on hard times.

The remaining Albertsons in Panama City closed about two years ago...a discount store was to go in its place, but that's fallen through, and one portion of the store was turned into a buffet restaurant called "Chow Time" (tried it once, not bad.)  And
speaking of Publix, they have their sights set on southern Alabama, where they're planning to open up three stores in Dothan within the next year: the newest location to be where a former Goody's once stood in what's left of Northside Mall (which has fallen on hard times with the Wal-Marts & Targets that invaded Dothan in the last 15 years).

rmcielwain


The remaining Albertsons in Panama City closed about two years ago...a discount store was to go in its place, but that's fallen through, and one portion of the store was turned into a buffet restaurant called "Chow Time" (tried it once, not bad.)  And
speaking of Publix, they have their sights set on southern Alabama, where they're planning to open up three stores in Dothan within the next year: the newest location to be where a former Goody's once stood in what's left of Northside Mall (which has fallen on hard times with the Wal-Marts & Targets that invaded Dothan in the last 15 years).

It will be interesting to see how Publix fares in Lower Alabama. It's not the kind of market I picture them thriving in.

Where I'd like to see Publix build is in Wakulla County--south of Talahassee. It's a growing bedroom community for the Capital City and I think a Publix down there would spur development.


And thanks for the update on the Northside Mall in Dothan. We would vist there on a very irregular basis when we lived down the road in Bainbridge, but haven't been in about ten years or more. Malls appear to be a twentieth century institution that will not survive this century.

Northside Mall (and the "mall section" is closed off) now consists of Home Depot, Books-a-Million, Stein Mart (I think it's still open) & the two theatre buildings.  Across 231, Wiregrass Commons is still drawing well, despite losing stores like Waldenbooks, FYE and KB Toys; Burlington Coat Factory is scheduled to open in the old McRae's location come October.

As for the Publix locations, they expect to have all three stores (near Flowers Hospital, the Farm Center & Northside) up & running by fall 2010, provided they can smooth out the environmental concerns with the city of Dothan.

they closed the one in Palm Coast & remodeled & opened as a Publix

The Albertson's in Sebring, FL closed, became an Albertson's (w/ liquor) and they closed a smaller, nearby, existing Publix.

I know Albertson's closed their store in SW Orlando. I found this out when I passed through there last summer. It was sold to Publix.
 
That would be 4 Publix stores in a 6 mile area, which is very strange.
 
I know one is very old, and small, but two are less than ten years old.
 
If they remodel the Albertson's it will be catty-corner to a new shopping center where there is a Publix that opened about four years ago.
 
The only other food markets in that particular area are Fresh Market and Whole Foods, and the usual Target and Super Walmart.

Beverly K
 
 
That would be 4 Publix stores in a 6 mile area, which is very strange.
 
I know one is very old, and small, but two are less than ten years old. 
 

According to some family members that I have working in Publix, the company would like to have a store every mile.  That's a whole lot of Publixes. 

aleximoon

Beverly K
 
 
That would be 4 Publix stores in a 6 mile area, which is very strange.
 
I know one is very old, and small, but two are less than ten years old. 
 

According to some family members that I have working in Publix, the company would like to have a store every mile.  That's a whole lot of Publixes. 

That would suit me just fine!!
 
Is it too much to ask for just one Publix to be built in Wakulla County?  It's a growing population and needs a Publix!!
 
 
 
 

I'm still getting used to having Publix around as I moved back to Florida recently. I do notice that their newer stores seem to vary a lot in what they carry. A store several miles away seems to be bigger and has more variety then the one closest to me.

I've got a love/hate thing going with Publix. I like that their stores are clean & well-stocked and they do a great job with customer service. What I don't like is the lack of competition in this area. There's at least 7-8 Publix stores closer to our house than the nearest Albertsons or Winn-Dixie. The fact that each of those has a bakery has resulted in a real lack of any independent bakery anywhere nearby. (I don't count DD, KK or Panera as a viable choice.) I've never found a lack of competition to be "good" for the consumer. Being a Publix landlord can't be a walk in the park either! We've had several instances where Publix has closed a store in the strip mall on one corner of a busy intersection & then open a new store in a mall on another corner of the same intersection. Those guys play hardball.

We could use a Publix in Washington County (still lots of room near the interstate!), but hopefully, they wouldn't endure the same fate of the Winn-Dixie that was here 10 years ago across from the behemoth Wal-Mart.  Winn-Dixie had a solid location about a mile up the road from where they eventually moved...they were trying to push the "Marketplace" concept & got burned.

Save-A-Lot moved into the old Winn-Dixie building & surprisingly is still around; the other grocery in downtown Chipley is the Piggly-Wiggly, which has existed since 1953.  And speaking of Publix, it wasn't until the late '80s-early'90s until they finally opened stores west of Tallahassee; for years they used the slogan of "Florida's Supermarket", which at the time wasn't exactly true....