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By now, the news is out: Bainbridge will be getting its own Publix. While the property, located off Tallahassee Highway, next door to Chick-fil-A, is already in the process of being cleared, the official groundbreaking is scheduled for next week. When finished, the store will be 46,791 square feet, and will be joined to six adjacent stores, each 1,400 square feet.

This has been a project long in the making. “We, Hand Properties, have been trying to get this site approved for years,” said Fred Hand IV, VP of Development at Hand Properties, the developers and owners of the property. Hand explained that Hand Properties identifies store sites in a good market, and presents a site package to their clients, in this case Publix, who has the ultimate yes-or-no authority.

Hand went on to thank Publix, the Rich family who sold the land, as well as First National Bank for its financing, as well as the officials and permitters that have been involved in the process.

Hand estimates that it will take until the third or potentially fourth quarter of next year for the store to be open.