Two Publix stores sit just 500 feet apart in this Northeast Florida city — but why?

NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. – It’s pretty much a Florida tradition for any beach day: You load up the car and on the way to the ocean, you make the obligatory Publix run to grab all the beach essentials like Pub Subs, sweet tea and fried chicken.

Just check social media. There are a ton of creators who describe their Publix pit stops as a mandatory step before any fun-in-the-sun activity.

But any beachgoers heading down Atlantic Boulevard toward Neptune Beach will have a choice to make. That’s because two Publix stores sit just over 500 feet apart.

Yes, you read that right.

There are over 20 Publix stores in Jacksonville alone. Sometimes it feels like there’s one on every corner. And on Atlantic Boulevard just before 3rd Street, it’s like you’re seeing double.

Publix Super Market at Seminole Shoppes at 630 Atlantic Blvd. opened in 2010. It’s probably the most familiar Publix in the area if you don’t visit Neptune Beach often.

So, it might be a bit confusing to see a more modern-looking Publix sitting at the Neptune Beach Plaza on 580 Atlantic Blvd., just to the left of the original 54,130 square-foot store.

The updated store opened in 2023 after the company acquired the 29,810 square foot space that formerly housed Lucky’s Market for $2.3 million, according to News4JAX news partner the Jax Daily Record.

As convenient as it may sound, it’s also confusing. Why did the Florida-born company feel the need to build another Publix close to…well, another Publix?

A spokesperson for the company told News4JAX it is not “unusual to have Publix locations close in proximity.”

There are similar situations in St. Johns County, though not quite to the extreme happening at the Beaches.

In Nocatee, the Super Market at Nocatee Town Center at 120 Marketside Avenue sits less than a half mile from a Publix GreenWise Market across the street at 250 Pine Lake Drive.

GreenWise is Publix’s organic brand that was expanded to stand-alone stores with four locations in Florida, according to an online locator map.

St. Augustine’s Publix at Market at Shoppes at Murabella has a newly opened Publix Super Market at Parkey Village of St. Johns that sits right across State Road 16.

While both Neptune Beach stores are fully open and have been successfully operating next to each other, residents admitted the concept was rather strange.

McKenzie Fletcher moved to Atlantic Beach from Ponte Vedra Beach and shops at the newer Publix in Neptune Beach.

She said she questioned the employees about the store’s purpose.

“This is now the closest Publix to me and I was asking if they were shutting down the old one. Hence, why this one is brand new,” Fletcher said.

Nope, that’s not the case here. Both stores are open with no intention of shutting down.

When News4JAX reached out to Publix to learn the differences between the stores, the spokesperson confirmed while both stores operate as a “traditional Publix” with most grocery departments and a full-service bakery and deli, the newer store includes features from the GreenWise brand.

“The Neptune Beach Plaza location also has a Pours section where customers can purchase items like acai bowls, smoothies, beer, wine, coffee or tea and sip while they shop,” the spokesperson said.

Fletcher found the additional store to be convenient despite her confusion.

“It’s slightly closer to my house and it is kind of like stop-and-go. I do feel like they do have special things like the little bar and stuff. It’s cute.” Fletcher said.

Other people News4JAX spoke to also seemed to question the dueling Publixes.

One woman commutes around four miles from the Golden Glades neighborhood to shop at the newer Publix store because the store at Atlantic and Hodges Boulevards is temporarily closed for construction.

“I thought it was little a odd. I thought maybe because the one at Hodges is closed, maybe they thought they were going to have a bit of a spillover. I’m not quite sure why they did that. It is interesting,” one woman told News4JAX.

We asked Publix for a construction update and have not heard back.

But even with double the opportunity to buy groceries “where shopping is a pleasure,” some found minor inconveniences.

Another Atlantic Beach resident pointed out that the newer Publix does not have a pharmacy, which makes him have to take a trip to the older store. Although the two stores are side-by-side, unless you’re walking, you can’t simply drive from one store parking lot to another because there is a barrier blocking access.

News4JAX asked the spokesperson about the barrier but they did not immediately respond.

“As a whole, we look for opportunities to best serve our customers and, in some cases, alleviate congestion in stores, in addition to allowing for the best traffic patterns in a particular area,” the spokesperson said responding to a separate email asking about the benefit both stores serve.

Most people we spoke with said they preferred the newer location because it didn’t seem as busy.

“I prefer the smaller one. There’s a different atmosphere, a little bit more positive. It’s a little easier to find stuff, less walking. It’s the same thing. It’s just newer,” one man said.

The two locations have coexisted for at least a year. One thing is for sure, Floridians love Publix, so double the opportunity is a double bonus for shoppers.

The ever-growing grocery store recently opened a new Jacksonville location at 11341 Normandy Boulevard in the Plaza at Normandy. The closest store to that location is 5.3 miles away.