The history of Publix & Lakeland

Lakeland shares a lot of history with Publix, going back to the 1940s. The beloved store chain is headquartered here.

The very first Publix store in Lakeland is now the Waller Construction and Design Center building. Another Publix store in Lakeland was the first with a parking lot. Today, it’s now the Polk County Tax Collector’s building.

“It’s so neat because it looks so much like the original building,” explained Jennifer Bush, a Publix historian. “They appreciate the heritage and history of that building. If you drive by at night you’re going to see the neon lights in front of that building reminiscent of those Publix stores of the 50s.”

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