A full-scale demolition of Publix at Spanish Plaines Plaza in The Villages is taking place.
The demolition of the store will be followed by the construction of a brand-new Publix at the 1566 Bella Cruz Drive location near The Villages Regional Hospital.
The target date for reopening is slated for some time in February. The store shut down at the end of April.
That location had previously been an Albertsons supermarket. In 2008, Publix Super Markets Inc. purchased 49 Albertsons stores in Florida, including the store at Spanish Plaines.
After the purchase, the Publix on Bella Cruz Drive had retained an Albertsons-style interior layout.
There are a total of 1,147 Publix stores in the United States. The bulk of them, 777 stores, are located in Florida. There are seven Publix grocery stores in The Villages.
