Publix Grand Opening Marks a Game-Changing Moment for Douglas Residents This Wednesday

Douglas is moving forward to become a major regional shopping destination. The Douglas Square Shopping Center will welcome a new Publix next week, adding a significant shop to the outlet and significantly altering the economic and social landscape of the Douglas-Coffee County area.

Initiate New Publix Store

The Publix store will open on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 7 a.m. The doors will only open for business on Wednesday at 7 a.m.; there won’t be a ribbon-cutting ceremony or grand opening. Tuesday night, Publix management and colleagues will host an invitation-only celebration at the shop.

When Publix moves to Douglas, the town is experiencing unheard-of growth—the kind of growth that has the power to rebuild the local economy completely. Although Douglas has already witnessed this kind of economic expansion, it is uncommon.

The community most recently had a boom in the economy in the 1980s and early 1990s. During that period, the following industries arrived in the area: Tecumseh, which later became Southwire, PCC, Walmart Distribution Center, and others. The development of Fleetwood and other agriculture ventures strengthened the local economy.

Douglas, nevertheless, is still a neighborhood retail store. People had to travel outside of the city to shop at stores other than Walmart (or, for a while, K-Mart). Shoppers began to leave in droves over the weekend, heading to Waycross, Valdosta, Tifton, Jacksonville, and other places.

Gaining entry into that significant retail industry has proven to be a challenging task. Selling the land on which the former Coffee High School stood was a bold move by the school board. It soon rose to the top of the country’s most sought-after real estate list. Despite its allure, the idea of developing the land continued to be intimidating.

Rules And Regulation of the Tax Policy

Under the tax allocation district. To promote development at the location, the city declared plans to designate it as a tax allocation district four long years ago. Although tax allocation districts can take many forms, they generally use the property taxes raised by new developments to pay for the expenses associated with the new building.

The tax distribution district idea was presented to the city by developers, and officials deemed it to be a good idea. It was nonetheless seen by the public as contentious and, to some extent, misinterpreted. Nevertheless, the TAD was allowed by the city, and building eventually started in 2020 following many delays mostly brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic. The commercial mall and surrounding properties have grown into a successful retail hub in the years afterward.

There are several smaller companies, five national merchants, and five restaurants in the area. That excludes shops such as Harbor Freight, which is situated a short distance from Douglas Square. And there will be more.

Publix was in the spotlight from the beginning. As the building got underway, talk about the grocery chain Publix dominated the air because Douglas residents wanted one. Publix was always scheduled to visit the community; the final arrangements were only pending. Local officials said two years ago that Publix would be arriving in the community.

It is presently opening. For Coffee County and Douglas, this is revolutionary. The neighborhood has already benefited greatly from the presence of these establishments, especially in terms of SPLOST collections. Publix will merely increase it.

The inauguration of Publix on Wednesday does not mark the end of Coffee County’s retail boom; further businesses are on the way. Douglas and Coffee County residents will soon have even more options for dining and shopping.

The entire town of Douglas appears different if you ride through it. It looks distinct and exudes a different atmosphere and vibe. Thanks in large part to the huge expenditures made downtown by several property owners in recent years, it begins well north of Douglas Square and extends south to the airport and beyond.

Yes, in this community, Wednesday is a huge day. The good news is that Douglas will have more days like these in the future.