Winn-Dixie Marks Store Reopening With Series of Events

To celebrate the reopening of its Mobile, Ala., store on 1550 Government Blvd. this week, after a multimillion-dollar, 9,000-square-foot expansion and renovation that added such improvements an outdoor farmers’ market; expanded meat, seafood and wine departments; and a dedicated area with free Wi-Fi access and complimentary coffee, Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. has tie-in events planned throughout October.

“This store exemplifies our fresh and local strategy, and goes to the heart of what consumers have told us is important to them,” noted Joey Medina, the Jacksonville, Fla.-based grocer’s western regional VP.

Following the Sept. 29 grand reopening and a Southern Hospitality open house that took place Sept. 30 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and featured a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit, food-tasting stations highlighting new store items, live entertainment, a special presentation to the American Cancer Society, and a grand reopening cake ceremony, the scheduled events are as follows:

• Flavors of Alabama, on Saturday, on Oct. 2, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will offer fall food demonstrations, food sampling of Alabama-made products, gift-card giveaways, live entertainment and a radio remote.
• Taste of Winn-Dixie, on Friday, Oct 8, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., invites shoppers to enjoy an evening of food sampling, a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit, food-tasting stations, live entertainment, raffles, a live radio remote, and a local chef’s special live cooking demonstration.
• The Mobile Food Festival, on Saturday, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., enables attendees to support Murphy High School’s swim team by participating in a food fundraiser featuring Bubba Burgers. Customers can sample new store items, snack on popcorn, avail themselves of the services of a caricaturist, and enjoy live DJ entertainment and a radio remote.
• Eat Well, Live Well, on Saturday, Oc. 23, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., targets shoppers who are looking to improve their health, by introducing them to the store’s new pharmacist, who will provide medication counseling for patients. A local nutritionist will also be available to dispense healthy-eating tips, and additional features include complimentary seated chair massages, organic product tastings, gift-card giveaways and a live radio remote.

Among the features of the renovated Mobile location are local products reflective of the surrounding community’s cultural diversity, such as Louisiana Cajun Land Brand items and the Occhipinti Gourmet Foods line, which features such selections as spiced green beans and baby corn, olive oils and expanded offerings of stuffed olives.

Winn-Dixie operates almost 485 retail grocery locations, including more than 379 in-store pharmacies, in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.