Exclusive: A First Look at Winn-Dixie's "Centennial" Interior

Winn-Dixie #2238

St. Cloud Plaza

4855 East Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway

St. Cloud, FL 34771

Make sure to check out how this store looked before its remodel

Hello, and welcome back to The Sing Oil Blog! It's a bit out of character for me to post on the Friday of an "off" week (especially considering my recently hectic life), but special times call for special circumstances.

Those special times, of course, are concerning Winn-Dixie news. Back in August, I learned that Southeastern Grocers, now known as The Winn-Dixie Company, had plans to remodel five stores in the coming months. The Albertsons Florida Blogger recently gave us a preview of those plans from his trips to store #2238 over the last month, but I'm happy to share a full tour of The Beef People's grand new vision before any grand reopening has even occurred. This news is hot off the press, and I assure you, we are some of the first to see it.

The outgoing Winn-Dixie logo (2015-2025)

If you didn't notice it from the photo at the top of this post, Winn-Dixie is planning to roll out a subtle change to its logo. The lettering appears to use the same, or a very similar, variant of the familiar Foco font we've seen since 2015; however, the check icon has been altered ever so slightly. The old check mark tapered off ever so slightly at the top and looked almost as if it was drawn in permanent marker. The new check looks much more consistent, stiff, and modern. I don't think that it is a big enough change to garner controversy, but it is a change, nonetheless.

As I approached the store from Highway 192, I could see through the windows that signage had already gone up and the "winning" improvements were further along than what The Albertsons Florida Blogger shared from last week. I was ecstatic to see the progress!

I had initially thought that this store was going to look the same as most any other Winn-Dixie from the 2020s based on the black trim and wood paneling. After all, this store ended up receiving the same aisle markers that we've seen for years.

AFB mentioned that this store instead appeared to feature a hybrid between the Green Interior and Winn Win; I'd say that checks every box – this is indeed something entirely new.

The job was obviously not complete by the evening I stopped in, but we still get the full idea of what the décor has shaped up to be.

Here in the produce department, the dark green walls of Winn Win were swapped out for an olive green department sign.

This new package really is just an inversion of colors from Winn Win 1.0. Instead of having red plank walls and tan signage, we now have taupe plank walls with red (and green) signs. Nevertheless, I still approve of AFB's name, Centennial, until we find some official documents.

We can also see that new vinyl plank flooring was installed in the produce department. The perimeter of the rest of the store simply had exposed concrete and was presumably waiting on some non-slip carpeting to be installed. The center of the store, however, still had vinyl tiles dating back to a 2006 remodel: they were good in some places, but showing wear in others

Along with the inverted paint colors, this package introduces a unique graphic for each department. Centered in each of these icons is what will presumably be the new condensed logo for WD. I like how a check mark was incorporated into the "W".

The icons remind me of something from an old newspaper ad, which is a nice touch for a 100th anniversary package. I also suppose the bucket of drumsticks is a nod toward Winn-Dixie reviving its "Lip Lickin' Chicken" (which I never realized had left us).

The bakery, likewise, features a loaf of WD bread and a large section of flooring in need of repair.

Turning our attention toward the seafood counter, we find a fish graphic (shocker).

The neighboring meat counter is labeled as "Butchers". Previous Winn-Dixie packages left this descriptor as a singular word, but I suppose that The Beef People are now subtly indicating that they have a team of butchers on staff.

As for the remainder of the store, this shot showcases how the walls are reminiscent of Publix' current Evergreen interior package. The general lack of color on the walls is broken up by pops of a bold hue: in this case, red.

The butchers' cleaver is continued to the "meat" sign on the next wall.

Another piece making a return is the old "ring bell for service" sign hanging from the ceiling. While this sign dates back to between 2000 - 2005, it blends in surprisingly well with the new look.

Here is a better look at the sign for the meat department.

Likewise, frozen food gets an upgraded sign over the frozen meat cases. It just seems a bit odd to find a Popsicle here when the main two freezer aisles don't align with this section of the back wall. This is a common layout chasm in Winn-Dixie stores that I have never quite understood.

The last sign on the back wall advertises pre-sliced luncheon meats. Forgive the crooked lines in the above photo as I had to use Photoshop's perspective warp to straighten up my angle.

Turning our attention down the final aisle of the store, we find the formal signage for the dairy department (featuring a milk carton) along with the same taupe walls used elsewhere.

It is worth noting how the wood paneling was only used in the produce department rather than around the entire perimeter of the store. Previously, if a store received any paneling during a remodel, it spanned the entire space.

My friend, Charles Burgess, noted how this looked like, "a remodel on a budget." I thought it looked nice in person, and in fact believe that it was a much needed change for this store; however, I see what he means.

For starters, I almost wonder if the red backing for the department signage was either new-old-stock from previously halted remodels or if it was reclaimed from stores that have converted to ALDI. It looks identical to the material used with Winn Win, only painted red.

Additionally, all of the fixtures in the store seemed to have just been re-skinned rather than replaced. This has been a common tactic for Winn-Dixie, and even Publix at times. On the other hand, obvious wear is visible in many locations, such as this yogurt shelf.

Lastly, the plain walls and reused floor tiles don't help to hide the fact that this is a job on a budget. The Transformational remodels from 15 years ago were vastly more thorough but were also very limited in quantity.

This store's beer and wine section is situated in the old bakery alcove and featured the final department sign we'll see. This one obviously needs a bit more work before it is ready for prime time.

Something else that I didn't realize was how Winn-Dixie still partnered with craft breweries to produce special beers. Here we can see the Keylime Hibiscus Ale from Islamorada Brewing featuring a small Winn-Dixie logo on the can.

Lastly, the old pharmacy space is now just a blank wall covered by shelves of seasonal merchandise.

The road sign facing US 192 was still in need of replacement considering how it was sporting a peeling example of the 2006 Winn-Dixie logo. I'm sure it will be swapped out soon enough.

Well, what do y'all think of Winn-Dixie's new "Centennial" look? Is it a winner, or will this optimism be short-lived?

I, for one, can say that I'm happy to see some sort of positive changes occur despite all of the negative press regarding store closures and market exits. During my trip, I also checked in on a Harveys in Lakeland that is scheduled to convert to Winn-Dixie early next year. That store remained untouched, but I imagine that the remodel will begin there within the next month-or-so.

It has also been a long time since I've been to the Orlando area. On my way back to I-4, I traveled through Kissimmee and past the numerous tourist stands pleading for my dollars. It simply crazy to see the juxtaposition between the manicured Disney attractions and the seedy 24-hour survivor shops. There is something inauthentic, or even trashy, about this stretch of road. A giant wizard, a giant orange, and a giant guitar are all cheap tricks to try and grab your attention as you speed down Highway 192. Contrast this to the deep culture and unique experiences I find in countless other places, and I wonder why anybody is even interested in that stuff. Maybe I'm just strange in that way.

At least St. Cloud seemed to be partially separated from the hustle-and-bustle of Orlando, and this particular Winn-Dixie still proved to be quite busy for the time of night I stopped in.

Anyhow, that is it for this week, so I hope you enjoyed our short trip to St. Cloud.

Until next time,

- The Sing Oil Blogger

P.S. Make sure to check out my list of other grocery store-related posts.