IL Publix to open Oct. 24

After more than four years in the works, the much-anticipated Publix grocery story in Indian Land is set to open Wednesday, Oct. 24.
Located in the Cross Creek Shopping Center at 8356 Charlotte Highway, the 49,000-square-foot supermarket will open for business at 7 a.m. with special offers for the first customers though the doors.
Company spokeswoman Brenda Reid said the supermarket will offer customers a wide range of conventional items, organic products, special departments and customer services for which the company is known.
“We’re confident this store will exceed customer expectations with an inviting shopping environment, expanded product mix and premium customer service,” Reid said.
In celebration of the opening, the first 1,000 customers at both the Indian Land and Fort Mill Publix, will receive free reusable Publix grand opening grocery bags and flowers as long as they last.
The first 25 customers to buy $50 or more in groceries will receive a free bag of groceries worth $25 and customers can sign up for prizes ranging from cakes, deli platters and fresh meat or seafood to $100 gift cards.
Children’s activities, which include a magician, balloon artist and caricaturist, begin at 3 p.m. and run until 7 p.m.
Store features
Like most Publix stores, the Indian Land supermarket will have a produce department featuring organic and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, florist, bakery, full-service meat department and seafood department offering fresh fish delivered throughout the week, fresh-made sushi and a wide selection of shellfish, including lobster.
In addition to deli meats and cheeses, the supermarket’s full-service deli will also have a salad bar with gourmet soups and a “Pacific wok hot bar” featuring hot Asian dishes.
The supermarket also features a pharmacy, complete with a drive up window, and Wi-Fi Internet in the customer dining area.
Since it opened its first store in Winter Haven, Fla., in 1930, the Lakeland, Fla.-based supermarket chain has built its reputation, in large part, on its customer service. And the Indian Land Publix will be no different.
In addition to having in-store wine and cheese experts on hand to help customers with their selections and special product requests, the store also offers customers other free services that are even more uncommon.
One of those free services is the supermarket’s Event Planning Center.
Not only will the center’s assistants help customers with planning details, everything from beverages and food platter to cakes and flowers, they’ll then have them pulled together for pick-up on the day of the event.
The store will also offer a Publix concept called “Apron’s Simple Meals,” which provides customers with two meal ideas a week.
As part of the concept, clerks will demonstrate how to cook the recipes daily in an in-house kitchen and all the ingredients for the recipes will be packaged together for sale in a nearby case.
The Indian Land Publix opening is one of two to open in the area on Oct. 24; the other one is in Fort Mill. Both stores will be staffed by about 125 employees.
According to Publix officials, the company plans to open two other stores in the area in 2013, one on U.S. 521 in Ballantyne and the other on Providence Road West.
More to come
York Development Group started the 30-acre Cross Creek Shopping Center project in 2008, with work beginning in earnest in late 2011.
In addition to the Publix anchor store, the shopping center has another 14,000 square feet of retail space in the same building.
Though the company is not yet ready to announce which stores are opening in the additional storefronts, York Development Director of Development Brian Rollar said the company plans to begin construction on two more buildings with additional retail space in November.
Rollar said the Publix opening represents the culmination of years of work and public/private partnerships, among them the moving of Deputy Roy Hardin Park from Collins Road to Shelley Mullis Road, the construction of a pump station and widening of the intersection of U.S. 521 and Doby’s Bridge Road.
“When I got up in front of (Lancaster County) Council and rezoning, we promised them a Class A development,” Rollar said. “I think that’s what we’ve achieved and we’re proud of the Cross Creek Shopping Center.”

Reece Murphy/reporter

The new Publix grocery store in Indian Land is scheduled to open Wednesday, Oct. 24, with special deals for the first customers, as well as children’s activities in the afternoon. The store is located in the new Cross Creek Shopping Center at the intersection of Doby’s Bridge Road and Charlotte Highway.

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