Publix to Open First Stores in Kentucky

Lakeland, Fla.-based grocery chain Publix is expanding into a new Southern state. 

The retailer has officially broken ground on its first store in Kentucky, where shoppers can find the chain’s private brands. Publix has plans to bring the total number of stores in the Bluegrass State to three.

First covered by Store Brands’ sister publication Progressive Grocer, the store will be located at the corner of Terra Crossing Boulevard and Old Henry Road in Louisville, and will mark the grocer’s entry into its eight state of operation. The shopping center that will house the Publix store is expected to be completed by late 2023. The store itself will be 55,701 square feet with a drive-thru pharmacy and a 3,200-square-foot Publix Liquors – the first located outside the state of Florida.

“It’s an exciting day for Publix Super Markets as we break ground in our eighth state,” said CEO Todd Jones. “When our founder, George Jenkins, opened the first Publix store, he wanted to create a better grocery store — one that kept associates and customers top of mind. More than 90 years later, we’ve kept true to our values, including supporting the communities in which we live and work. We look forward to sharing the Publix difference with Kentuckians.”

A second Louisville Publix location is slated for the northeast corner of Ballardsville Road and Brownsboro Road and is expected to open in early 2024. The retailer also announced a third Kentucky location slated for late 2024, this one in the city of Lexington.

Employee-owned and -operated Publix has close to 1,300 supermarkets in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia.