Winn-Dixie Bows Prototype Store in Florida

The new Winn-Dixie store opening today in Margate, Fla., is the first of its kind in the Sunshine State, according to the company. Providing a greater assortment of prepared foods, specialty products and organic and natural items, the 56,000-square-foot south Florida location will operate by the watchwords “fresh” and “local.” In February of this year, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based grocer opened a similar store in Covington, La., which Winn-Dixie president, CEO and chairman Peter Lynch told the Miami Herald had exceeded expectations.

Among the standout features of the Margate store:

—A carving station where prime rib, chicken, smoked turkey and Boston butt will be cut and served fresh daily
—A global cuisine station featuring traditional Hispanic and Creole offerings
—Freshly prepared gourmet food choices such as chicken cordon bleu, meatballs, meat loaf and eggplant
—A produce department twice the size of a Winn-Dixie store, with a wide variety of organic and natural items
—An expanded deli department including an olive and bruschetta bar
—A barbecue station with ribs, chicken and pork selections, in addition to cold salads and assorted sauces
—An assortment of hot sandwiches, pressed on a panini grill upon ordering
—A larger meat and seafood department featuring a full-service meat case, a lobster tank and fresh sushi prepared daily
—A bigger bakery department with a built-in bread case containing freshly baked loaves and single-serve options such as kaiser rolls, bagels and doughnuts, as well as a cake designer whom shoppers can watch at work
—A range of specialty desserts, including imported delicacies from Italy and a customizable photo machine for cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods
—A full-service pharmacy featuring WD RxConnect Translate, a free language-translation service for pharmacy staff and customers
—A Well-stocked wine department and 2,118-square-foot liquor store

Built on the site of a former Publix, the Margate Winn-Dixie is the first new store in the state since 2004, according to the Herald’s report.

According to the newspaper, the store carries twice as many specialty items as any other Winn-Dixie, including gourmet, kosher, Latin and Caribbean products. Additionally, it offers around 2,000 natural and organic SKUs, about 30 percent more than in a typical Winn-Dixie.

Lynch told the Herald that he hoped to have five new prototype stores open or under construction in the coming year, with half of them in the south Florida market.

At an invitation-only store preview attended by Winn-Dixie officials and local dignitaries and business leaders yesterday, the grocer presented a year’s supply of private label organic laundry detergent and a new washer and dryer to Women in Distress of Broward County.

Winn-Dixie operates 515 retail grocery locations, including over 400 in-store pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds