Publix Monopoly (Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa: organic, live, prices)

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

In case you haven't noticed, Central FL is probably the blandest, non-progressive, and stagnant areas in the entire southeast. Most other "well populated" areas have more choices in every category from grocery stores, to media, and fast food options. Not to mention Publix, IMO has a very limited selection of grocery products. I really don't think all these people promoting Publix have grocery shopped anywhere West of the Mississippi, really. Where's Tom Thumb, Kroger, a dedicated WalMart solely for food, Albertsons, and the Winn Dixie's here are just nasty, that's why they always fail.

To further my point, look at any decent radio station here, first it was 105.9 with a great selection of alternative rock, they got rid of that. Then 103.1 smooth jazz turns into a spanish station (hence the "spanish takeover"), then 96.5 turns into all talk all the time. Orlando is basically polarizing itself into radio for old folks and spanish, not a pretty picture and definitely not a place I want to live. Well you say 101.1 rock, okay lets here the same Godsmack song every 20 minutes.

Fast food, okay the Sonic near me lasted about 4 months, the A&W joint lasted about the same, Whataburger lasted a few years, then left, no Jack in the Boxes either.

So, to compliment the boring, bland, cookie cutter "shacks" riddled with Chines drywall, as well as a place with no history, you have boring, bland grocery stores, radio stations, TV, and fast food options.

And to top it off Orlando gets another lame soccer club that nobody watches which will probably last maybe a good 2 years, instead of a decent baseball team which almost every "American" kid can enjoy.

Well........ aren't we the sweetest poster in the world? LOL....blandest and nonproductive...... good grief...... and Where do you think 50%( ? or maybe even more) of the people who live in Central Florida came from? So I guess that must mean some bland non progressive people must have moved here, too. Probably from the NORTH. If you really find nothing here to your liking, the door swings the other way and ya'll can move North again where everything is so perfect that you CHOSE to leave and come to Florida. Give me a break......sure there are things I can't get here that were COMMON in Chicago, but guess what there are lots of wonderful things here that you can't get up North or anywhere else in the world.

Oh, but wait .....sorry, that is exactly the reaction you want when you come in to stir the pot....... so

[**NoodLes**]

It's pretty sad that I have to go to TARGET to buy a pot pie, since Publix doesn't even carry such a basic food product. Their selection is pretty horrible.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by annerk

For the same reason that Wegman's is generally the only game in town in central and wesern NY. They offer such a superior product that the slightly higher price doesn't bother people.

Orlando and Florida in general are quite a bit more populated than Central or Western NY so that's kind of a feeble example.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Pete C

I would say most supermarkets do not compare favorably to Publix that I have seen. In Atlanta, Kroger was the establishment in every city in the metro. Publix was able to go in there and take away many customers, forcing them to renovate many of their stores to compete. Harris Teeter tried and failed, having to pull out of Atlanta. The ones that have existed in Florida like Albertsons, Winn-Dixie, Piggy Wiggly, and Food Lion all pale in comparison to Publix. Like annerk said, there is a reason they all folded.

Which would seemingly suggest that Floridians are vanguards of superior quality. Sorry, but I'm not buying that. Perhaps it's because the average Florida consumer is more simple/basic and not driven by higher quality or better variety. Whole Foods which manages to hit home runs everywhere else it opens stores struggles here and Trader Joe's has basically said no thanks to expansion inquiries here. Harris Teeter excels in the Carolinas and Virginia so perhaps Atlanta shares a common thread with much of Florida as well. That could explain Publix's success there.

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by **NoodLes**

It's pretty sad that I have to go to TARGET to buy a pot pie, since Publix doesn't even carry such a basic food product. Their selection is pretty horrible.

What Publix doesn't sell flour, butter, veggies, etc? I mean good grief anyone who makes it a point to bash a store for not carrying a lesser quality frozen product over fresh ingredients that can easily be combined to make one, should be ashamed of themselves.

[Jo48]

I am in Naples with a population of 21,000. Besides Publix, there is Sweetbay, Walmart, and even Winn Dixie in Golden Gate areas. Of ocourse in the upcale areas, there are Whole Foods and Fresh Market also. How many more do you need?

[Keeper]

I am surprised there is no WalMart supermarket only in Orlando, There are a couple of those in Tampa.

Food Lion is more expensive than Publix and the stores are old, Kroger's is OK but their prices are on par with Publix although they do have some good specials.

[boy3365]

I think what the poster is talking about are the tier of stores. In my hometown of Columbia, SC you have the following:

Bi-Lo
Piggly Wiggly
Kroger
Publix
Food Lion
Used to have: Winn-Dixie and Harris Teeter

So, at one time, you're talking about 7 regular-tier grocery stores in a metro that is smaller than Orlando.

In Orlando, that's Publix and Winn-Dixie.

If Florida gets another chain, it will NOT be one who currently operates in the southeast. Those stores are losing to Publix's expansion into southern states. Publix did overtake Kroger as the top grocery store in the Altanta market last year.

[boy3365]

Originally Posted by Keeper

I am surprised there is no WalMart supermarket only in Orlando, There are a couple of those in Tampa.

There are Walmart Markets in Orlando. There are some on the east side, and then there is one near Hiawassee/Colonial. They are in talks of converting the Orange/Michigan Albertson's to a Walmart Market.

[ncstate09]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Orlando and Florida in general are quite a bit more populated than Central or Western NY so that's kind of a feeble example.

There is a reason for that.