JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Winn-Dixie Company LLC confirmed on March 28 to News4JAX news partner The Jacksonville Daily Record that it will close two Harveys Supermarket locations in Jacksonville in May.
That’s in addition to the previously announced conversion of two more Jacksonville Harveys to the Winn-Dixie banner.
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The two Harveys that will be shut are in Arlington and in North Shore, north of Brentwood, the Daily Record reported.
“We can confirm that we have made the difficult decision to close the Harveys Supermarket locations at 201 W. 48th St. and 49 Arlington Rd. S. in Jacksonville in mid-May as part of our ongoing efforts to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of our business,” said Meredith Hurley, Winn-Dixie senior director of communications and community, in an emailed statement to the Record. “We understand the impact this decision has on our associates and are committed to supporting them through this transition. Associates who wish to continue their careers with Winn-Dixie may apply for open positions at nearby stores, and eligible associates who do not transfer will receive severance.”
The West 48th Street store is west of North Main Street and east of North Pearl Street.
According to the Record, Winn-Dixie converted the 43,149-square-foot store, built in 1983, from its SaveRite banner into Winn-Dixie in 2011 and then into Harveys in 2016. It is about 1 mile east of the Winn-Dixie in Gateway Town Center along Norwood Avenue.
The Arlington Road South location is about a block south of Atlantic Boulevard.
Built in 1988, it was a Winn-Dixie that was converted into Harveys in 2017, according to the Record. The 46,222-square-foot store is about 2.5 miles southeast of the Winn-Dixie in College Park at 999 University Blvd. N.
City Council member Ken Amaro, who represents District 1 where the Arlington store will close, told the Record that the closure will create a “food desert” for the neighborhood on that side of Atlantic Boulevard.
“I understand corporations looking at their balance sheets, nevertheless I hope the new owners of the Winn-Dixie brand will find a way to keep serving that area,” Amaro wrote in an email to the Record.
Southeastern Grocers previously announced that seven total Harveys Supermarkets across Florida and southeast Georgia will be converted into Winn-Dixies.
“The conversions mark another step forward in the company’s evolution to The Winn-Dixie Company, reflecting a sharpened focus on growing the Winn-Dixie brand and delivering a more unified grocery experience for customers,” the release read.
The Harveys Supermarket locations set to be converted to Winn-Dixie include the following:
- Jacksonville, FL — 5909 University Blvd. W.
- Jacksonville, FL — 5250 Moncrief Road W.
- Lake City, FL — 4506 SW Heritage Oaks Circle
- Ocala, FL — 3435 N. Pine Ave.
- Lakeland, FL — 2630 US Highway 92
- Lakeland, FL — 1305 Ariana Street W.
- Folkston, GA — 3606 S. Second Street
No specific dates have been provided for the upcoming conversions, though the company noted it will release more updates as they continue.
The conversions are part of a plan by Jacksonville-based Winn-Dixie to focus on its home state of Florida and the Northeast Florida region after selling its stores in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and much of Georgia.