Publix - Stafford, VA

Welcome back to the Shoppes of Battery Mill, where every day you get our best! (Did I get that slogan right?) Today I'm presenting a shorter edition of the blog, although it won't be any less sweeter than the rest. You'll see exactly why in a bit.

Photos taken on December 20, 2020 by BatteryMill

Store information

• Store name: Embrey Mill Town Center
  
• Store number: #1720
• Address: 1640 Publix Way, Stafford, Virginia 22554
  
• Opening date: December 12, 2020
• Store layout: 48M
  
• Decor package: Evergreen
  
• Features: Deli, Sub Counter, Meat & Seafood Counter, Bakery, Drive-Thru Pharmacy, Beer & Wine, Café Seating

Fresh from the Shoppes of Battery Mill bakery, this blog is here to present to you today's most delicious course, that being the Stafford, Virginia Publix.

...Publix, in Virginia? How could they possibly venture into a land without alligators and Disney World, or even one without abundant peaches and palm trees?

Yes, you've heard me right. This is a Publix in Virginia, after all. It's one that's quite far removed from the land that it originates from, but the location is still a shining example of the chain's strengths. While there's a lot else to examine here, but there's a big question you may be asking.

How did it get here? Well, I have one mighty story to tell you. So sit tight, grab a Pub Sub, and read along as I explain how exactly Publix wound up in a little town called Stafford, within 50 miles of the nation's capital. 

Publix Presents: "Road to Virginia"

The first of many Publixes outside Florida. Source: twitter.com/Publix

In 1991, with over 60 years of renowned customer service, remarkable products and growth attached to its name, Publix made the first steps outside its home state of Florida. The Sunshine State grocer went down to Georgia and swiftly struck gold in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Aided by the strengths they cultivated in their home state, they soared in Georgia's largest market, just as competitors like A&P and Harris Teeter were floundering. This was all despite Kroger's reign of 100+ stores nearby. These nearly perfect factors levitated Publix's prospects not only in the Peach State, but all across the Southeast. In the nick of time, they were able to snake through South Carolina, find sweet homes in Alabama cities, and volunteer in the Tennessee retail scene (through an acquisition of Albertsons stores there - something to remember later). 

Publix's first stop in North Carolina. Source: Charlotte Business Journal

Following a pause in state-hopping, Publix crossed over into North Carolina in 2014. Being farther removed from their distribution hubs in Florida (and Georgia), Publix utilized several tools in their toolbox to upgrade their expansion engine. These maneuvers included buying from the competition (several BI-LOs in Charlotte - remember this too), establishing new divisional offices, and building bases in NC's major population centers before trying out all kinds of towns. This was abetted by previous trials just across the South Carolina line, of which warmed Publix up for such northward expansion.

After the seeds of expansion sprouted in the Tar Heel State, Publix planted a few more across the northern state line. In 2016, Publix announced their entry into Virginia, beginning with only two sites, one in Bristol (cancelled by 2022), and one in the Richmond suburb of Glen Allen. Speculation rose on several potential expansion routes for Publix in the state, such as the more populous Northern Virginia, but little was for certain until another shakeup to the Virginia retail landscape came about. That same year, Dutch grocery conglomerate Ahold would complete their merger with Belgian rival Delhaize. Due to both companies sparring in the same places, the two were required by the FTC to divest several shops.

A Food Lion turned Weis near Fredericksburg. Source: Aaron F. Stone (Flickr)

The divestiture pool was divided between the sizable, feature-packed and high-volume stores Ahold's Giant-Landover and Martin's (a banner of Giant-Carlisle) boasted, and the utilitarian, small town-friendly Food Lion chain in Delhaize's arsenal. Around Winchester, Martin's was the favorite to remain. Down south in Fredericksburg, meanwhile, Food Lion was poised to carry the mantle of the new corporation. While part of the plan suited each market, it did not stand without complications. Giant-Landover was a union-backed business, and protests demanded a reversal of the original plan in the Fredericksburg and Culpeper areas. Ahold and Delhaize reneged, meaning that Food Lion, instead of Giant, would be departing those cities. Despite numerous challenges, finding replacement stores was, surprisingly, no difficult task. Pennsylvania-based Weis Markets and SuperValu's Shop 'n Save banner subsumed Food Lions in the Fredericksburg/Culpeper and Winchester vicinities respectively. 

Down in Richmond, the plan was more clear-cut. It just so happened to be where Publix was testing the waters. If a hoard of north-central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley grocery stores could trade hands easily, just imagine how the decision-making process went in a busier market.

A Ukrop's-turned-Martin's ("Martkrop's"?). Source: KBS

Martin's was in between a rock and a hard place in the River City. Ahold's interest in the market was the trophy of a 2009 bidding war over Ukrop's. The hometown icon had put their grocery business up for sale earlier that year, citing multiple factors. This included, but was not limited to, hardened competition from the likes of Kroger, Food Lion, and Walmart's Supercenters. After the bid was finalized, all Ukrop's would switch over to the Martin's name. Upon starting the conversion process, Ahold was tasked with patching Ukrop's competitive weaknesses. Some were easy to fix, such as instituting alcohol sales or opening doors on Sundays, two moves that showed a stark contrast in values. Other issues would prove far more complex, and Martin's position in the market only hampered progress.

The Richmond grocery market undergoing transformation. Source: Virginia Business

As the decade pressed on, the same issues that led to Ukrop's exit from retail only grew in intensity. Martin's was not as versatile as rival Kroger, and struggled to deter the no-frills standards the Lion and Walmart held. These challenges were compounded by Martin's failing to carry on the quality and recognition of its predecessor in many shoppers' eyes. Only one new store was built in the seven years Martin's operated in Virginia's capital, and several of their ex-Ukrop's holdings were shuttered during this time as well. With more competitors like Whole Foods, Lidl, and Wegmans steaming into town, something had to be done over at Martin's.

The decline of Martin's Richmond operations was happening right as their corporate parents were merging with their corporate rivals. As with points north, Ahold and Delhaize had multiple options to appease the FTC. Perhaps the only complicating factor in choosing what stores to let go was rooted in the busy retail scene, with the city boasting the most supermarkets in the country per capita. With the instability of Martin's and brand recognition, as well as wide spread (ranging from rural to suburban) of Food Lion, a clear winner was found. Former Ukrop's were again on the chopping block, not even a decade after the collapse of said chain. 

A Martin's (another "Markrop's", to be exact) that didn't make Publix's cut. Credit: Richmond BizSense

The aforementioned decision was compounded by the fact that both Martin's and Food Lion were non-union. This meant the preferred transaction could go through without vocal contention. All Martin's were put up for sale, and speculation heated up as to who would buy in. Some wagered Kroger would double up their presence. Such predictions ended when an intrigued Publix snapped up ten prime locations. Four more sites were added by year's end, readying the chain for an impressive launch. Closings and conversions soon settled in, with each Publix purchase being gutted and decorated to keep up with the chain's meticulous image. 

There would also be leftovers that did not go to Publix. As of 2024, most remain fallow or have been incorporated into non-grocery uses. These were likely not snapped up as the chain desired better locations nearby, or felt rebuilding these older locations would be less economical.

Virginia's first Publix. Source: Ryan (Flickr)

A Ukrop's-turned-Martin's-turned Publix ("Pubkrop's"?). Source: Ryan (Flickr)

Come 2017, Publix touched down in Virginia to much fanfare. The first several Martin's conversions would roll off the line that summer, with reopenings continuing into 2018. This batch of openings included the previously-announced Glen Allen store, itself a never-built Ukrop's. A few older ex-Ukrop's were also in line for demolition and rebuilds, showing Publix's construction prowess for all in Virginia's capital city to see. Publix is well-known for tearing down and building anew in its home state, so it's just what they opted for at those locations.

Fredericksburg, Virginia's first Publix. Source: Ryan (Flickr)

With Publix seeing success in the River City, they now had what it took to expand. There was a multitude of directions for Publix to go, though what most seemed desirable to them was Virginia's most important market, Northern Virginia. The first stop on their northwards journey would be in Fredericksburg, where they would secure a site at the southern edge of the city. Its place at the formidable Cosner's Corner power center, alongside Kohl's, Marshalls and (interestingly) a SuperTarget. That store opened in 2018, only one year into Publix's Virginia run. Despite giving the city of 27,000+ only one handle on the Publix phenomenon, the lone location still proved to connect with its residents; provided one could brave the Interstate 95 traffic to get there.

A true sign of the times. Source: Stafford County Economic Development

One year later, in July 2019, Publix one-upped their committment to residents of Fredericksburg. Their next store in the market was to be built in the northern suburb of Stafford. That store would be incorporated into the sprawling Embrey Mill development further up I-95, with a plethora of commercial space primed alongside an already bustling residential development. This post won't quite get into the construction process; though despite a 2021 target completion date, contractors put their best feet forward and the Floridian grocer opened its doors at the tail end of 2020. Since then, Publix has had a front-row seat to a blossoming retail development featuring acres of strip malls and fast food joints, and has managed well as an anchor in the Stafford community. 

Store Tour

I'm not one to end a story on an amateur note, but that is how Publix wound up 100 miles into the state of Virginia. With all that now in our rear view mirror, let's start this little tour!

The first photo of the tour segment is an alternate angle of the exterior. Here we can see the taller heights Publix has reached with their exteriors, which reflects something we are about to witness inside. I opine that this is an underwhelming design, with peach-colored brick slabs constructing the majority of the walls on each side. Now, how does the inside fare, exactly?

The first of the two interior views today is set in the mezzanine. This second-level space, featuring café seating for customers and employees alike, is perhaps the most defining feature of Publix's 48M format. With all that expansion into new territory, and continued growth in established markets comes new competition, and Publix certainly wanted to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Times in retail have changed as well, and their renowned collection of prepared foods has prompted a focus on in-store dining, especially as their e-commerce options have gained prominence. This café area reminds me of a similar layout Wegmans featured in their 1990s and 2000s builds. An apt reminder for sure, given the tendency for consumers to compare these two renowned supermarkets!

Moving beyond the dining hall, we have the left side of the store in the palm of our hands. To the right we have frozen aisles, while items like school supplies, pet food, and health & beauty occupy the middle. Elsewhere, we can see the dairy sign and beer and wine cache. While not visible, the bakery is in the back-left corner, while the pharmacy occupies the front-left. 

As it was then a new opening, I was impressed by the order and cleanliness abounding in each aisle. While I'm not a fan of the package (Evergreen) that decorates the walls either, I'm at least pleased to see it well-composed here. I especially liked the hanging drop ceilings, which add extra depth to center-store.

For the last photo, here's a look down the rest of the seating area. While it also conforms to Evergreen standards, the furniture composition isn't outlandish like some modern restaurants are, and the light fixtures appear tasteful. I think this setup can look just as neat with any good decor package. 

To the left of the picture, the standalone deli box (dubbed the "Deli Shrine" by Sing Oil Blog!) appears. In 48M Publixes, the deli is run entirely from a counter, as opposed to a kitchen-connected setup along the store perimeter that other Publixes have. This goes for whenever you're craving a signature chicken tender "Pub Sub" (Psst... there's a way to save on those) or you're stacking up on Boar's Head deli meats and cheeses. Either way, there's something for everyone on all four sides of the "shrine". Squished in between the deli and mezzanine is a great big round "P", marking the corner where customer service and online order pickup operate out of.

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To sum up my first impressions on Publix, I would say that it was a great place that knew just how to be high-volume and feature-packed while appearing humble with its smaller store sizes (in comparison to recent competitors). Publix sure knows how to place the best of both worlds into a little package! I also like how this store strategically held out as a testing bed for the busy Northern Virginia retail market, all while being anchored to the more bountiful resources originating from places south.

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Thank you all for reading through! Next time, I will be returning to the place where shopping is a pleasure (did I get that right?), and dissecting some major details about Ukrop's and Martin's combined history in Richmond, as well as Publix's escapades elsewhere in the Old Dominion. Be sure to tell your friends all about this blog and sound off in the comments. 

How do you think Publix is getting by in Virginia, especially this far north? What do you see them doing there next? This post also marks the beginning of a new, narrative-centric format. What should I improve about this along with my writing style?

Disclaimer: I have no opinion on the union situation. I included such details merely to show that these matters played a role in the Ahold-Delhaize merger.