Less than a week after a Publix opened in Clearwater, another will open its doors in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Thursday, March 12.
But this one will be all new.
The renovated Clearwater Publix, which reopened March 5, the Publix in west St. Petersburg was built from the ground up.
The 55,454 square-foot store will include many of the new shopper-friendly design features Publix has introduced in the last year or so, such as wider lanes, self-checkout lanes, expanded deli options, and larger displays in the bakery, meat and seafood departments.
The St. Petersburg Publix will also have a pharmacy, a seating area and an adjacent Publix Liquors store, spokesperson Lindsey Willis said in an email.
The previous building, a renovated Albertsons, was demolished in 2024, TBNWeekly.com reported. Publix closed a nearby location in Eagles Park Retail Center at 5577 Park St. N. on Saturday, March 7.
Lakeland-based Publix Supermarkets has opened or reopened dozens of stores in 2025, many of them in Florida, featuring amenities such as olive bars, popcorn stands, Pours beverage bars, expanded service for online ordering, delivery and curbside pickup.
When is the new Florida Publix opening?
The new St. Petersburg, Florida, Publix opens at 7 a.m. Thursday, March 12, 2026. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony just before that.
Where is the new Florida Publix opening?
Publix, 6605 38th Ave. North, St. Petersburg, Florida, opens March 12, 2026.
When is the next Publix opening?
After the St. Petersburg opening, the next store to open will be in Spring Hill, Florida, at Publix at Seven Hills, 160 Mariner Blvd., on April 2, 2026.
Will the giant Publix shopping cart be at the grand opening?
“Customers may catch a glimpse of the large, motorized Publix shopping cart traveling around the community on opening day,” Willis said in an email.
The massive 11’9” tall, 14’ long, and more than 7.5’ wide Publix shopping cart can often be seen cruising around the area whenever a Publix opens.
The cart, built on top of a Volkswagen Sand Rail, has a driver sitting underneath and can reach speeds up to 45 mph.
“The shopping cart is another way Publix is celebrating the company’s new location with the community and driving awareness for customer convenience,” Willis said.
More grocery chains expanding in Florida
Publix isn’t the only chain making big changes.
Discount grocery chain Aldi has already opened seven locations this year with four more scheduled, many of them converted Winn-Dixie locations from Aldi’s brief acquisition of that company in 2024-2025. Aldi opened about 60 locations in the Sunshine State last year.
The newly renamed the Winn-Dixie Co. is refocusing its efforts on its home state with plans for community-friendly redesigns.
Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s, a more upscale grocery destination, opened a location in Daytona Beach, Florida, in November and another in Melbourne, Florida, on Dec. 3.
Where can I find a Publix near me in Florida?
As of March 3, there were 907 Publix locations in Florida, more than four times as many as any other state, according to data site ScrapeHero. You can find one near you at publix.com/locations.
C. A. Bridges is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Publix grocery store to open in Florida. Here’s when and where
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
