Jan. 17, 2018 — If you’ve ever shopped at a Publix Super Market, you may know the grocery chain originated in Winter Haven, Florida. What you may not know is that Publix never had corporate offices in Winter Haven. In 1930, George Jenkins, the late founder of Publix Super Markets Inc., opened his first store called Publix Food Store in Winter Haven. In 1935, he opened a second location across town. In 1940, he closed both food stores to open his dream store, Publix Super Market, also located in Winter Haven.

New Lakeland home

At the time, Publix’s main supplier of goods was the Lakeland Grocery Company in Lakeland, Florida. In 1945, the Lakeland Grocery Company was put up for sale. Jenkins knew this would be the perfect opportunity to expand his business, so he negotiated a deal to buy the company. He acquired the Lakeland Grocery Company’s small office and warehouse, its 19 retail stores and their employees. Of course, Jenkins said that the best part of the deal was adding all the wonderful associates who became part of the Publix family.

Growing and growing

In 1950, just five short years after the big purchase, Publix outgrew the old Lakeland Grocery Company space and looked for property where a larger facility could be built. After purchasing land in west Lakeland near U.S. 92, the construction of a new warehouse and office complex began. One year later, in February of 1951, construction was completed and the facility was ready for business.

The 125,000-square-foot office and warehouse was cited as the most modern structure of its kind in the United States at the time. It was beautifully designed with the same art deco architecture as the Publix stores of the 1950s. But what was most impressive was the modernization of the warehouse operation.

While the warehouse was large and efficient, by the 1960s, Publix once again outgrew the space and needed to find a way to expand the complex to accommodate more associates and stores. 

Bigger and better headquarters

In 1967, Publix expanded the building, adding office space by extending the lobby and both ends of the front of the building. Publix also increased the size of the warehouse on the backside and toward the west. For many years, this building housed all of Publix’s corporate departments, from accounting and payroll to purchasing and advertising. But again, the company’s growth led to the need for more office space.

At the end of 2001, Publix began construction on a new corporate office building in Lakeland. The 325,000-square-foot facility was completed in 2002. While several corporate departments moved to the new building, some still remain in the original headquarters.

In 2020, Publix expanded its corporate headquarters by 190,000 square feet to accommodate more associates to support the stores.