April 12, 2019 — While on a trip to California, Publix founder George Jenkins drove past a building decorated with a colorful mosaic mural. When he saw the artwork, Jenkins thought it would be the perfect touch for his stores.

He contacted California artist John Garth and asked him to create a similar mosaic for a Publix being built in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Garth designed a scene depicting the foods of the world. It featured a golden-haired goddess holding a bounty of produce; Garth’s daughter was the model.

The artist brought the sorted and numbered tiles to Florida, and a team installed the pieces on-site.

When the store opened on Aug. 29, 1961, it featured this mosaic mural. Garth would return to Florida in 1964 to install one more tile mosaic mural for a Lakeland store.

In the mid-1970s, Florida artist Pati Mills was commissioned to create painted tile murals for Publix. The first of her creations featured colorful fruits and vegetables flowing from a cornucopia.

Later, she started exploring each city to incorporate local themes into her designs. From landscapes to the rich history of the area, her murals reflected the individual personality of each community. During her 20 years spent beautifying Publix stores, she created more than 200 pieces of art. While many of these stores have since been renovated or replaced, around 20 of her murals can still be found in Florida locations.

In 2018, John Garth’s original Fort Lauderdale mural was re-created by artist Tom Pritzen for the Polk County Tax Collector’s office in Lakeland. Then, in 2024, one of Pati Mills’ murals was moved to Publix’s corporate office to be enjoyed by associates for decades to come.