Tallahassee #4 | Walmart #1408 - Tallahassee, FL

 

Tallahassee #4

Sing Stop N' Shop Food Center | Deli

2009 West Pensacola Street

Tallahassee, FL 32304

Scroll Down for today's MTC post on Walmart Supercenter #1408

Hey y'all, welcome back to The Sing Oil Blog!  Despite my recent launch of the Grocery South Substack feed, I don't intend to abandon my pride-and-joy over here.  I also decided that this week would be the perfect time to take a brief hiatus from this year's Marketplace Madness series to focus on another old Sing Store.

(Hiatus Edition)

This blog has been an interesting journey for me considering how much has changed since it began.  I started with the goal of showcasing some of the old gas station photos in my collection and have morphed this into a passion project (hopefully not an obsession) for historical documentation.  Furthermore, this site has proven to be an invaluable outlet for my late-night thoughts and relentless rants.  You may not realize this, but I've found a form of therapy in creative writing; I find this entirely ironic considering my disdain for the subject back in grade school.  There is something about proofing the perfect paragraph, slipping in subtle alliterations, or referencing random reflections on bygone memories that I find enjoyable.  Heck, where else could I write an entire introduction using an underlying theme of sewing in my diction.  It is subtleties like these that I enjoy in others' writing, and that I hope y'all appreciate in mine.

So, where am I going with this?

Well, as I was preparing for this post, I had forgotten that I even photographed the Tallahassee Sing #4.  The fact that I have visited so many former Sing Stores and that many of them were documented that long ago still baffles me.  It is also crazy to consider how much of my time the ALDI/Winn-Dixie coverage has consumed on top of my busy work and social calendar. (Then again, it is cool to know that I have spurred numerous news articles and that I know more about this drama than seemingly any traditional reporter.)

I, regardless, have not lost track of my original goal of documenting every remaining former Sing Food Store, and aim to make 2026 the year I achieve this.  Moreover, I also see this milestone as an opportunity to try something new:  Grocery South.

For now, though, we will continue with the same-ole-same-ole that you have grown used to.

Sing Oil Company’s fourth foray into the Capital City began to take shape on the heels of the area's first Sing Store – Tallahassee #3.  Sing filed for a permit to construct a $35,000 convenience store here in July 1968, which is the same year its older sibling opened on Thomasville Road.  The Pensacola Street station would take several more months to complete and likely opened in early-1969.  

This is a part of town that I am not as familiar with, but the station seems like it was intended to serve the neighborhoods surrounding Florida State University.  Sing's longtime neighbor across the street was Publix #207 and the Westwood Shopping Center which is now home to a Planet Fitness and an ALDI.

From the archives

Similar to Tallahassee #3, this station featured an upscale brick exterior with large paned windows and a shingled roof. It is as if Sing was going for a Georgian-style building to set it apart from the typical Spanish-style architecture found in Florida.

The Tallahassee Democrat (Newspapers.com) - April 24, 1968 - Is this a prank?

If this ad from the original Sing Stop N' Shop is anything to go off of, Tallahassee #4 carried a "full line of fancy foods" when it opened, such as clam chowder, caviar, foreign teas, espresso, imported mustard, and escargot.  This is quite the departure from the typical "high demand" groceries I expected from a convenience store at the time, but hey, something has to set you apart.  I just can't imagine eating gas station snail and I'm also unsure of the difference between "French Snails" and "Escargots" . . . 

Tallahassee Sing #3  - 1968

No escargot found here . . .

My post on Tallahassee #3 features several interior photos, including the one above, depicting how its sibling on West Pensacola likely looked during the late-1960's.

The Tallahassee Democrat (Newspapers.com) - August 31, 1971

Regardless, this store seemingly entered Tallahassee with a bang.  Only two short years into its tenure, an article was published in The Democrat describing how a Tallahassee father purchased a "flame proof" party popper for his daughter from the Sing.  Driving home, "eight-year-old Stacey Haslam pulled the string on her popper.  As the streamers shot from the popper, they burst into flames, scorching the front of Stacey's shirt before her father could extinguish the flames."  What a surprise!  Nobody was thankfully injured, but the item was immediately removed from shelves.

Beyond those old stories, we are lucky enough to have circa 1984 video footage from the outside of this store thanks to blog contributor Henry H.  The video is, oddly enough, a reenactment of a robbery that occurred at the station (shocker).

Jumping back to this decade, we can still find a number of traits dating back to the building’s construction.

 

The first thing that jumped out to me was the exposed brick and original window panes still visible at the bail bond shop next door.  The three adjacent storefronts to the Sing originally housed the Colonial Barber Shop, a dry cleaners, and a laundromat . . . I can’t say that a bail bondsman is exactly an upgrade . . .

The perimeter columns also still feature Sing’s original brick detailing at the top, despite the old shingle roof now being obscured.

Looking down the front walk, we find a wall of cypress paneling (another Sing hallmark) in place of several of those large old windows.  At least the wooden columns out front still give this space a homier feel.

Once inside, we find the typical Circle K fare and a layout that tremendously reminds me of the Tallahassee Sing #6 we toured a few months ago.  I would have to guess that this layout implemented after Sing’s exit given the newer grey floor tiles shown above.

A limited selection of hot food items was located directly in front of the door, followed by the familiar Polar Pop drink fountain along the back wall.  Sing first offered hot deli foods in this store sometime between 1985 and 1987.

Built-in drink coolers rounded out the remainder of the wall heading toward the left corner.

Snack foods and a small section of automotive items filled up the next aisle . . .

 . . . while candy and Twinkies filled up the following one.  Isn’t it astonishing to think about the percentage of floor space in a convenience store dedicated to sugary foods; what a long way they have come from selling caviar, heads of lettuce, and pantyhose!  You know what else is astonishing?

The Miami Herald (Newspapers.com) - March 2, 1990

This store was specifically mentioned in a 1990 Miami Herald article for being one of the first places Tallahassee residents could find a Hostess Twinkie.  The caloric confectionery didn't make its way to the Capital City, or any of the Florida Panhandle for that matter, until 1990 – sixty years after the snack cake was first brought to market.  Rodney Hurst, manager of this Sing mentioned that, "We had a lot of people asking for them.  The first week, we sold out."  What an interesting twist! 

The last aisle featured the familiar breakfast bars, cereal, and coffee.

Turning around, I noticed this oddly large, oddly empty, wine display against the leftmost wall.  FSU must’ve had some ragers the night before because the shelves were barren!

If you partied too hard the night before, Circle K had a cooler full of Gatorade to help you get up the next morning (unless those old tricks don't work anymore).

Unless you wanted to go full-forced with a “hair of the dog” attitude – then you just grab a paper oil funnel and go to town with a bottle of Barefoot.  Oh, and having a bail bondsman next door doesn’t hurt, either!

As for the old barber shop, I can't tell if Circle K or the bondsman enveloped that old space.  It appears, regardless, that the Redbox machine was obscuring the storefront on my last visit.

That will conclude our adventures on West Pensacola Street but buckle up and keep on scrolling to learn about today's More Than Convenience feature just up the road. 

Street Views

Google Street View - November 2007

Google Street View - June 2011

Google Street View - May 2019 

Aerial Views

Tallahassee - Leon County GIS - 1970

New Sing Stop N' Shop Food Center

Tallahassee - Leon County GIS - 1983

Sing Stop N' Shop with surrounding development resulting from new Publix shopping center

Tallahassee - Leon County GIS - 2009

Circle K store in former Sing

Additional Resources:

Leon County GIS

Google Earth Pro

Google Maps

Leon County Property Records

Parcel ID: 2134510001200

 

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Wally World

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Walmart Supercenter #1408

Tallahassee West Tennessee Street Supercenter

4400 West Tennessee Street

Tallahassee, FL 32304

It may be hard to believe, but the S.O.B. is taking you to a Walmart today!

Any of my longtime readers should be surprised by this given that Wally World is typically on my personal "naughty list" of retailers. On the other hand, the infamous "soulless void of retail" has been making improvements as of late and has managed to claw its way above Kroger and that dastardly German discounter on my pecking order of shame.  I am now proud to admit that I frequent Walmart roughly two to three times a year, which is up from my previous average of 0.75.  Yes, some of the people may remain; however, the craziest Walmartians can't even outshine the progress that has been made.  Things are looking up for the Bentonville-based retailer!

In all seriousness, Walmart has made significant progress over the last few years toward improving its dirty and disorderly image.  The company's outgoing remodel campaign, noted for its airport-inspired signage, brought a much-needed fresh look to stores, and its "store of the future" prototype looks bright and promising.  I may not seek out a Walmart, but I feel that the shopping experience has become much more tolerable as of late.

One of my readers, aliased as "Welcome to Florida", offered to share several photos he took of Tallahassee's third Walmart for me to include in a post.  I accepted this as a much appreciated gift considering how my interest in covering yet another Tallahassee Publix is dwindling. 

I have personally visited this Walmart once but never considered taking any pictures (I photograph enough stores as it is).  Likewise, all photos henceforth are courtesy of Welcome to Florida unless otherwise noted.

The Tallahassee Democrat (Newspapers.com) - January 24, 1990

Walmart #1408 opened as "division 1" store on January 31, 1990, and followed on the heels of 1987's store #1077 on Capital Circle Southeast and 1988's store #1223 on Thomasville Road.  Likewise, #1408 remains Tallahassee's oldest Walmart given that its older siblings were replaced by newer, larger stores.

Google Earth - March 2003 - The "Division 1" store

Prior to 2004, this Walmart carried the familiar general merchandise lines and essentially just lacked a grocery department.  That was not a problem for local residents given there was a Harveys store just across Capital Circle (which survived until the Bi-Lo acquisition in 2013).

The Walmart gained an additional 65,000 sq ft grocery section during its 2004 Supercenter upgrade, bringing the total square-footage close to the 200,000 mark; a small strip of shops to the east was demolished to make way for the additions.  This was ultimately the store's second expansion, with the first one being performed in the late-1990's to square off the back of the building.

It's also worth pointing out how the old Lowe's space next door remained unharmed throughout this process.  It was replaced by a new store closer to I-10 sometime around 2000 and the old home improvement warehouse lives on today as a Ross Dress for Less.

Eagleview - February 2007

Walmart went on to remodel this space thrice following the enlargement: once in the late-00's to bring the "Project Impact" look, once in 2020 to showcase the "Cyanominimalist" look, and once again in mid-2025 to implement the "Airport" design. 

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

That "Airport" look is, of course, what we find in the store today.  Entering through the right-hand set of doors, we find ourselves in the midst of the fresh grocery departments surrounded by many different blue, grey, and tan textures.  I find the Florida State football schedule signage especially interesting given its semi-permanent installation and its wise placement within the space.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Turning around, we see the new "Grab & Go" section of snack foods as well as the entry / exit doors just beyond.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Walmart began piloting a partnership with Dunkin' last year to include coffee and doughnut shops in new and remodeled stores, and this Tallahassee store was an early adopter.  The concept makes complete sense, given that Starbucks has been teaming up with other retailers for years to open mini kiosks and small cafés in stores.  It's nice to see Dunkin' dip into the action now.

Also, notice how the front of the store still includes the crown molding dating back to the building's 2004 expansion.  I like how the architectural feature adds some extra "class" to the space.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

One thing that I've appreciated about Substack compared to Blogger is the ability to create image galleries.  More galleries mean fewer dead spaces for me to fill (like this).  At least the Tajin can spice things up a bit.

  

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Continuing on to the far right wall of the store, we find the meat cases arranged in a typical Walmart fashion.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

The left side of the grocery aisles signals the ceiling height transition between the old and new portions of the store.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

I've always thought it was odd how Walmart didn't continue the existing dropped ceiling throughout the building when tacking on a grocery wing.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Next up, we will progress down the rear speedway into the general merchandise sections. 

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

The electronics department is positioned roughly two-thirds of the way down, and like most Walmarts, has many items for sale inside locked cases.  This is very frustrating when all you want is a $10 SD card and nobody is around to help get it out . . .

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

It is also worth noting how this store had already rolled out digital e-ink price tags as part of its remodel last year.  I recently read an article stating that Walmart intends to do this nationwide to significantly reduce the time and effort spent on price changes.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Continuing down the rear speedway, toys, sporting goods, and home items come into view.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Do these low dropped ceilings remind anybody else of Kmart (R.I.P.)?  I remember walking into a similarly-expanded Walmart several years ago and thinking I was in the wrong store.  It even had the notorious round air vents, to boot!

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

This shot takes us down the leftmost speedway as we zoom toward the pharmacy-side doors.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

If you couldn't guess before, I believe these photos were taken in October of last year . . .

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

I also cannot believe somebody still has to make these Halloween candy buckets.  Aren't there enough of these floating around by now?

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

We'll take a quick glance down the left side of the front speedway toward the health, beauty, and garden departments.

Courtesy of Welcome to Florida

Finally, we will wrap up our tour with a perspective of the checkouts, clothing section, and the grocery department in the distance.

I hope y'all enjoyed today's departure from the norm, and I would again like to thank Welcome to Florida for letting me use his pictures.  If you have not done so, make sure to subscribe to my new Substack page, Grocery South, where you can keep up with this year's Marketplace Madness series in addition to my quick notes and headlines. 

 

Likewise, you can catch up on the first two posts in the series by clicking on their respective links below.  Don't forget to drop a comment to tell me what you think!

 

Harveys #1656 | McRae, Georgia 

 

Winn-Dixie #2626 | Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Marketplace Madness will resume in two weeks with a store that I had to rush back to in the nick of time.  It's a fun one that you are sure to enjoy!

Until next time,

- Sing Oil Media 

Winn-Dixie #102 & #171 - Williston, FL

The Dawn of a New Era

What is it with my nighttime shots of these recent Winn-Dixie remodels?

Winn-Dixie #102 | Former Hitchcock's Market

Centennial Square

434 East Noble Avenue

Williston, FL 32696

Make sure to check out all of my other Winn-Dixie content and my in-depth post covering the St. Cloud store's recent remodel. 

Williston, once known as "The Crossroads of Florida," thanks to it sitting at the intersection of US Highways 27, 27-Alternate and 41, is now simply a sleepy town in rural Levy County home to roughly 3,000 people . . . and the world's newest Winn-Dixie supermarket.

That Winn-Dixie, of course, happens to be the subject of lots of recent media releases, including today's Sing Oil Blog post. 

As if I didn't already agree with the name coined by The Albertsons Florida Blog for Winn-Dixie's new interior design, it is only fitting, if a bit ironic, that Winn-Dixie's first store to open with the package is located in Williston's Centennial Square Shopping Center.  It seems that the plaza's name may have gone by the wayside in recent memory, yet the title appears in numerous pieces of historical documentation that I managed to uncover; all of this research was my attempt to validate – or debunk – the rumor that Williston's new Winn-Dixie is a "double-Dixie," or the second time Winn-Dixie has inhabited the same building. 

Although I was not entirely successful in my fact-finding mission for the Facebook rumor, I believe that I've filled in enough holes to paint a clearer picture.  Let's see what I found.

The Ocala Star-Banner (Google Newspaper Archive) - March 7, 1976

Rifling through historic Levy County newspapers and property records was no small task; on the other hand, I cannot complain, considering how there are at least some historic records posted online. The Centennial Square Shopping Center, likewise, appears to have begun its life with a Food Ranch Thriftway Supermarket opening its doors on March 11, 1976.  The "new landmark in Williston" provided shoppers 15,600-sq. ft. of space featuring three large murals, the latest display counters, and "stand-up" freezer cases, paired with fresh meat, produce, and dairy departments.  

The Levy County Journal (Florida Digital Newspaper Library) - December 15, 1977

The new grocery store was joined by Sunshine Rexall Drugs, based out of Ocala, as the adjacent pharmacy.  

The trail for this space appears to go cold between the late-1970's and the early-1990's, which leads me to believe the supermarket was operated under a different brand.  In any regard, the grocery store was open as a Hitchcock's Foodway by 1992.  

We'll eventually get to the other reason as to why I don't believe this store was previously a Winn-Dixie, but for now, you should find some solace in the fact that I extensively searched all available records and could not find mention of a Winn-Dixie in Williston until 1991.

Levy County Property Records - 1996

As for the drug anchor, Sunshine Drugs eventually closed and Rite Aid implemented deed restrictions on the shopping center when it purchased a different parcel of land from the plaza's owner to build a freestanding store across the street in 1995.  Dollar General likely took the place of an Eagle Family Discount Store (or something similar) and NAPA Auto seemingly took the place of Sunshine.

The Levy County Journal (Florida Digital Newspaper Library) - September 2, 2004

Tragedy struck the supermarket on January 28, 2004, when a fire reportedly gutted the inside of the building.  It took just over seven months for Hitchcock's to "refurbish the old building" before holding a grand opening on September 2, 2004.  In predictable fashion, Williston residents were overjoyed by the reopening of the store and thronged to the Hitchcock's Foodway for the festivities.

The Levy County Journal (Florida Digital Newspaper Library) - September 2, 2004

The new store was touted for its fresh image and plethora of historic area photos on display.

While I have no concrete evidence of this, I'd imagine that Hitchcock's turned this tragedy into an opportunity.  This seems like the most logical time for the grocer to have consumed the adjacent Dollar General space and to have added the new vestibule.  After all, the current Dollar General store across the street was constructed in 2004. 

The Levy County Journal (Florida Digital Newspaper Library) - September 2, 2004

As crazy as it seems, I know firsthand how exciting a new opening of any sort is for a small town.  Rumors of new businesses rush through the region like wildfire, and neighbors eagerly crowd to see the ribbon cut as a celebration of the outside world paying attention to them.  I've been to a number of grand openings at this point, and the ones in small towns are always a bit more special.

Despite the positive press, Hitchcock's cycled through several other grocery concepts during its tenure here.  The company marketed this store as a "Cost Plus" Grocery Depot during the late-2010's before reverting it back to the Hitchcock's banner around 2021.

Courtesy of jamvarcub (Google Maps) - December 2024

Several years later, the grocer also decided to change the look on the inside of this space following the implosion of Lucky's Supermarkets in 2020.  Hitchcock's was no stranger to taking over an old Lucky's and changing practically nothing; however, the company also brought the specialty look to Williston (or got a steal on some old signage).

Courtesy of Jennifer Randolph (Google Maps) - April 2025

Scrolling through Google Maps, I was shocked to see a plethora of signs from an old Lucky's store, including ones for the meat counter, deli, and produce department.  I wish I could have seen them in action!

Nevertheless, the Williston Hitchcock's closed its doors on October 14th as part of the independent company's liquidation, and only a few days later, crews were already ripping out everything inside.  The construction workers were applauded for the brisk 53-day turnaround, and the City of Williston assisted in speeding up the process by expediting permits.

Feel free to read more about Hitchcock's Markets here. 

As for the Winn-Dixie side of things, many people have asked me about the origins of store #102.  

The Florida Times-Union (Newspapers.com) - October 21, 1964

The oldest record I can find is for that number being assigned to a circa 1964 store on Normandy Boulevard in Jacksonville.  That location served customers for over thirty years but eventually closed in June 1995 during The Beef People's exhaustive Marketplace expansion kick. The designation has otherwise laid dormant for the past 30 years, which isn't shocking given Winn-Dixie's extensive troubles during the bulk of that period.  

Likewise, WD has been in the practice of recycling old store numbers for many, many decades.  What makes matters more confusing is the fact that reassignment is seemingly random (other than being restricted to the same region as the original store) and a replacement store never uses the same number as its precursor.  We can look at the circa 1977 store #3 as a perfect example of this because Monticello, FL, was most certainly not the third outlet for the Jacksonville-based company: it was simply the lucky recipient of the torpid number.

 

Now, for the fun part: the grand opening!  After much anticipation, Winn-Dixie #102 held its grand opening on December 6th, 2025.  The timing proved perfect for yours truly to attend, given existing plans to be in the area, so I could not resist the opportunity to experience my first "brand-new" Winn-Dixie, especially considering that a store has not opened since 2023.  Let's see what the "100-year-old startup" has to offer.

Notice how small the new Winn-Dixie sign is compared to the LED board below.

It was quite the scene in Williston on that misty morning: lights, cameras, and lots of action . . . Oh yeah, and there was the appearance of a Winn Win Twin!

Well, maybe that was just a lady wearing the same sweater and hat who also had a knack for smoking cigarettes.

I arrived at the store shortly before 7 AM in hopes of getting a free gift card, only to be appalled by the crowd standing in line: Stand back!   

The parking lot was chock-full of cars, and I had to settle for a spot in a grassy field behind the store.  There were at least two-hundred shoppers huddled in the fog, and I quickly realized that I would not be monetarily rewarded for my attendance.  Oh well.

New Winn-Dixie logo rendition (Drafted by Sing Oil Blog) - Set to launch on January 21, 2026

Shortly after I assumed my place in line, a lady parked her car in the suicide lane for Highway 27 and began chatting with another spectator.  The person in the car said something to the extent of, "Wow, look at all of those people!  I thought about getting in line so I could get some free stuff too!"  After the brief exchange, the lady in the car eventually resigned to coming back later in the day rather than standing in the haze.  It was quite the spectacle.

Sometime around 7:20 AM, the line began to consolidate toward the front of the store as the first 100 customers were handed their certificates and sent on their way.  Nobody had been let inside; however, those patrons were free to go about their day so long as they returned later to redeem their prize.  At least I was now within earshot of the festivities and could see the top of the balloon arch.

Shortly thereafter, a flag-raising ceremony was held in the center of the parking lot, and an announcer recited the Pledge of Allegiance over the small PA system.   It was hard to hear yet easy to follow – akin to a roseate swine smoker.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

White balance much?  It is interesting to compare this press photo to my image set given how cheery the weather looks here.  I can assure you that mine are far closer to reality.  Also, it took several takes of crews shooting off the confetti canons to allow the photographers to capture a satisfactory shot.

Promptly at 7:45 AM, the hum of Christmas carols subsided, and the crackle of a microphone reemerged.  It was Jennifer Robertson, Regional Vice President for region 1.  She, along with Rob Richardson, District Director, and Charles Goodman, mayor of Williston, among others, thanked the crowd for showing up and applauded the construction crews for the fast "45-day" turnaround.  Rob specifically mentioned how this store was tailored to the neighborhood, a theme I've heard countless times from Winn-Dixie, and how the new store was the first to open following the transition to The Winn-Dixie Company.

My interpretation of the speech, likewise, was that this was the first store to open since Jacksonville's #96 in 2023, Winn-Dixie was screwed by ALDI over the last two years, and the company took what they could get to prevent losing yet another core small-town market to the Germans.  I left out lots of the corporate sugar-coat, of course.

I have to say that residents were thrilled about the opening, despite the common knowledge that their new Winn-Dixie is half the size of the old store across town.  Furthermore, several vocalized sentiment that they expect "prices will increase while quality will decrease" over the next six months (a fellow queuer's words, not mine).

Despite the mixed emotions (and slight anxiety on my part), the longest version of "Celebrate" by Kool & the Gang began to blast on the small speakers followed by Bruno Mars' "24K Magic".  Time and the line marched on.

Are those overripe bananas hovering over this man's arms?

Finally, following an hour and fifteen minutes of queuing, I was greeted by the Williston High School cheerleaders, donned in Winn-Dixie sunglasses, along with Jennifer, Rob, and the rest of the Winn-Dixie folk.  Many of us joked that they made us wait so long outside in order for the fresh paint to finish drying.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

Once inside, the Winn-Dixie photographers had a much easier time of capturing the store than I did given their early access.

I first thought this lady was wearing an ALDI shirt.

This is evidenced by the throng of humanity in my images in contrast to the subdued scenery in their shots.  It is hard to believe that these photos were taken mere minutes apart.

It was a mad rush to get through the two sets of doors followed by a hard right turn toward the produce department, but I vaguely remember passing an employee who handed me a cart (which appeared to be from new stock) followed by several more who were handing out grand opening papers.  One shopper even proclaimed that she was handed a random gift card!

Williston weekly ad wrapper – notice the use of the stock photo featuring Winn-Dixie's "Out to Pasture" interior.

From there, I mingled my way through the hordes of people checking out the BOGO bins until I reached the DJ corner.  Thankfully, fewer individuals were interested in evaluating the small display of greeting cards and Christmas candy compared to those wanting fried chicken, which allowed me to get several shots of the floral sign.  There was utter and complete chaos.

How long do you think the Christmas tree remained in the middle of the floor before somebody plowed it over?

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

I find it interesting how these digital graphics advertise SE Grocers chicken despite this store already having Lip Lickin' Chicken boxes up for sale (see my photo below). 

As part of the festivities, this store offered a display table of breakfast sandwiches and condiments.  I declined the opportunity, but I heard somebody else mention that the bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit was of "freezer quality."  They were selling fast, regardless.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

Wow, this image from Winn-Dixie's Facebook does not reflect the same reality I witnessed.

That stupid column.

As I attempted to capture one "artsy" shot of the deli service counter, I was quickly thwarted by several columns and suspended electrical lines.  

I'll also take this time to mention how Winn-Dixie seems to have perfectly retained the old Hitchcock's layout.  Despite the signage above, this store lacked any sort of formal bakery counter and only had a few display tables of baked sweets adjacent to the conventional bread aisles.  Dairy and juice wrapped around the perimeter of this section. 

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

The Beef People certainly weren't going to let any of this space go to waste.

I'm also happy to see that this produce sign was not a "produ e" sign.

The tomato graphic was, likewise, aptly placed given that the notorious tomato cart was just across the aisle.

I have never seen so many perfectly-placed vegetables in a Winn-Dixie.  Unlike most rural locations, this store most definitely passes the eggplant test.

As mentioned before, packaged bread was nestled in the back of the old Dollar General space and below the bakery sign.  It is quite unusual to see center-store items in the "grand aisle" with the produce and specialty departments, don't you think?

A lady was handing out pineapple samples in front of the bread aisle, while another employee was passing out orange juice in the back.  As if this didn't help the congestion, a customer in front of me managed to drop her piece of pineapple and took her time to pick it up, "so somebody won't slip."  She caused a slight traffic jam on aisle 0.  At least we had bread, just no peanut butter. 

At the back of the building, we can clearly see the transition from the formerly adjacent tenant to the original Thriftway building.  Talk about congestion!

As an alternative to the jam, a free-flowing lunch meats section was sandwiched between the old DG alcove and the seafood counter on the back wall.

Spinning around, we find a wide selection of jarred pasta sauces on perfect display.  Notice how several of the varieties are still in cardboard boxes on the shelves.  I bet this immaculate presentation won't last long.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

Returning to the back of the store, we find the small seafood service counter adjacent to the meat cases.  I neglected to photograph it for myself because there was a lady handing out samples of SEG sparkling water right in front of it.  This picture was obviously taken before the store opened its doors.

Frozen foods occupied the leftmost aisle of the building and notably included brand-new fixtures.

Back up front, we find the beer & wine aisle; I remember having to wait an unreasonably long time to capture this perspective.

The customer service desk backs up to one of the beer cases and features a small sign of its own (that I neglected to photograph).  All-told, the new Williston Winn-Dixie featured three standard checkouts and four self-checkout stations.  The conventional lines were likely recycled from other stores because I noticed an old "1" lane light piled in the back lot.

The space also utilized the familiar aisle marker design that we've seen for years now – the only difference being that a sticker with the new WD logo was slapped atop the old check mark.  You can see the old logo still visible at the end of this video from Ian Woods taken just a few days prior.

Many neighbors were thrilled to see that their new store offered self-checkout.

Oh, and one employee was handing out these grand opening flyers.  I couldn't utilize the $10 off coupon with my small purchase, but it is nice to see that locals could save 20% off their total just by stopping in.

It is worth pointing out how most everything inside of this store appeared to be new (or at least was not from Hitchcock's).  Winn-Dixie spent the time to replace all of the vinyl flooring, paint all of the walls, and install new (or gently used) shelving and fixtures before calling it a day.  The only obvious thing I saw that was left behind was the fluorescent lighting.

Look at that Gen Z marketing.

The front of the store featured all sorts of freebies, including a mountain of cupcakes and a table of pens, mints, sunglasses, and beach balls.  I couldn't resist a sweet treat!

It is also worth pointing out how most of the promotional items, like the weekly ad, employee uniforms, and promotional signage, still featured the old logo.  I wonder if WD is waiting until the formal launch of The Winn-Dixie Company in early 2026 to make the full transition.

The cupcakes, of course, were the most notable exception to this.  I snapped a photo of mine from behind the store to showcase all of the construction equipment that remained in place.  There were also several dumpsters off to my right filled with debris.

Now that we've had such a grand time at the opening of store #102, let's turn back the clock and explore its predecessor. 

 

---

 

Food Deserts: It's an ALDI Thing. 

Winn-Dixie #171 | Future ALDI

Williston Marketplace 

727 West Noble Avenue

Williston, FL 32696

What better way to celebrate the grand closing (is that a thing?) of Winn-Dixie #171 this past Friday, December 12th, than to chronicle it's history on the internet.  Whoopee!

 

This story begins with a little-known grocer called Food Ranch. 

The Levy County Journal (Florida Digital Newspaper Library) - December 18, 1986

Back in 1986, the Williston-based operator opened a brand-new store at the Northwood Plaza on SR 121 / NE 6th Boulevard.  It was joined by Antonio's Pizza, Pick of the Flick, RadioShack, Thomas Rexall Drugs, and V/S Variety store.  According to the local paper, the plaza had nearly 600 cars a day making a left turn into it in 1989, which must mean it did a fair amount of business.

The Gainesville Sun (Google Newspaper Archive) - April 3, 1989

Things get a bit murky from here, but I managed to find that Northwood Plaza went up for auction in 1990, and ultimately didn't sell, likely beginning the long spiral of death it endured over its lifetime thanks to an odd location and an inconsistent landlord.  A man in Pennsylvania eventually paid $1,778,200 for the property in 1992, only to sell it to the city for $435,000 in 2004. 

As for the tenants, I know that Winn-Dixie #70 (that store number is not confirmed) replaced the Food Ranch store in early 1991, and I was unable to find any mention of Winn-Dixie being in Williston prior to that.  It also appears that the Rite Aid pharmacy replaced the old Thomas Drugs before moving to the freestanding store across town in 1995.

Courtesy of Ian Woods (Flickr) - 2019

Ian Woods did a great tour of the old shopping center before it was torn down, which I would encourage you to check out.

 

I'm glad that Ian made that trip because the bulk of the dilapidated shopping center was demolished within the past year after a long struggle by the city to clear up some legal issues.

Shifting over to store #171, Winn-Dixie purchased the new property on November 21, 1994.  The store was built as a typical Marketplace format that included a deli café, specialty cheese shop, florist, and pharmacy.  It held its grand opening on September 28, 1995.

Based on its equipment auction, the store underwent three remodels during its lifetime: one in 2000, one in 2009, and one in 2021.  Most refrigerated cases that we'll see on our tour are original to 1995, while a select few deli pieces and the frozen meats cases were installed in 2000.  The produce and seafood cases were installed as part of the 2009 "Getting Better All the Time" remodel, while the digital signage displays and bakery shelves were installed in 2021.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

Speaking of 2021, we'll get to see some photos from the community celebration following this store's "Winn Win" remodel that year.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

Part of that remodel included the addition of a liquor store in a corner of the produce department.  

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

It appears that Winn-Dixie forgot its short stint on Highway 121 when making this banner.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

While I think the current new store looks nice, it still seems like quite the downgrade from what Williston had before.  On top of the old store being larger, the bright red walls are more visually interesting than the basic tan "Centennial" look over at Centennial Square.  Why couldn't ALDI have just traded places?!

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

One advantage that Winn-Dixie #102 has over its predecessor is that it received all new flooring.  As we see in the photo above, the tile in #171 was left behind from this store's "Post-Bankruptcy" look circa 2009.

Courtesy of Winn-Dixie (Facebook)

At least the liquor store and produce department did receive new vinyl plank flooring, which looks quite nice with the black walls and ceiling.

The Levy County Citizen (Newspapers.com) - April 4, 2025

The fact that traditional media still couldn't get the memo of this store's then-pending closure astonishes me.  It was shortly after this article was published that a reader helped me break the case wide open and figure out which stores ALDI had purchased.  I can't exactly fault The Citizen for taking the conservative approach and reaching out to Winn-Dixie directly, but I feel bad for all of the employees and neighbors who took this as a sign that their store was safe.

The Levy County Citizen (Newspapers.com) - October 24, 2025

Likewise, official news broke of the store's closure around September 1st, much to the chagrin of the locals.  The death punch, though, came when Hitchcock's Markets announced it was closing all of its stores and liquidating all assets.  That meant that Williston was set to become Levy County's next "food desert" by November 16th, all thanks to some bad timing and that pesky German discount chain.

The new Winn-Dixie Company saw this as an opportunity to save face and open a "new" store in Williston as a replacement for the grocer's longtime location across town.  I'm sure they are happy that ALDI was at least willing to delay store #171's closing for another month to allow preparations to occur at the old Hitchcock's.

The Levy County Citizen (Newspapers.com) - July 4, 2025

While performing research for this post, I also came across the above article from July which mentions the history and future of the nearby Chiefland Regional Shopping Center.  What I found specifically interesting is that Five Below is planning to occupy the remaining portion of the old Winn-Dixie, which is only the second such sublet of discarded Winn-Dixie space that I've come across.  It seems like ALDI may struggle to fill many of these old Winn-Dixies in the long run.

I was also surprised to see that the Winn-Dixie liquor store in Williston was shuttered. Oh well, I would imagine that the Williston residents are still much happier to still have a Winn-Dixie supermarket compared to the Chiefland residents who only have a Winn-Dixie liquor store.  

 

Returning to Williston, let's see how the old store looked at the beginning of its "phase 1" liquidation this summer.

Winn-Dixie has adopted a phased approach in closing these stores that typically begins 90 days before closure.  The first two months typically consist of clearance sales on slow-selling housewares and greeting cards which typically occupy several dump bins near the front of the store.  I honestly wonder where the bulk of these items were originally sold because I typically find an insanely random selection.

Roughly a month out from closure, a store will enter "phase 2" when business hours will shorten (8 AM - 9 PM), grocery deliveries will end, the weekly ad will no longer be honored, and all items will be progressively marked down from regular prices.  That being said, the typical phase 2 discount prices are often higher than what a conventional weekly ad sale price would be.  The good deals only begin to appear within the week before closure.

Interestingly, this Winn-Dixie used abnormally large shopping carts – akin to those I'm used to finding at a Sam's Club.

They are Technibilt model 6642.721s.fb carts based on the equipment auction listing and are not destined to be repurposed at another Winn-Dixie.

I have to say that Winn-Dixie did a very nice job during this store's 2021 remodel.  It is a shame that the company had to start from scratch only four years later.

This shot also showcases how the produce department was condensed to provide room for the new liquor store next door.  Winn-Dixie likes to install windows in these partition walls, for some reason. 

Turning around, we find a man in a hurry to get some beer for his Labor Day party (based on where we find him in a few pictures).

I always appreciate how Winn-Dixie included the local town or neighborhood name on the wall with this interior package.  It is a nice touch that is unfortunately missing from the new Centennial design.

Aisles 1, 2, and 3 were shortened to make room for the shifted produce displays.

Likewise, beer and wine were found directly behind the liquor store space (along with the guy I mentioned earlier).

Continuing the local flair, we find a Florida-specific craft beer sign that I can't get enough of!  I still, surprisingly, only recognize two of those beer varieties as actually being from Florida (Swamp Head is a brewery in nearby Gainesville).

Several promotional displays separated the beer coolers from the wine aisles.  You can tell that a holiday weekend was approaching based on all of those cases of alcohol stacked on the floor!

The meat and seafood counter looked quite nice wrapped in red!

That is a lot of fried onions!

The old sauce aisle pales in comparison to its newer counterpart: in presentation, at least.

Wow, more beer!  Glancing down the center freezer aisles, we can see the middle section of cases, added during the 2009 remodel, bounded on either side by the original, circa 1995 fixtures on the left and right. 

Did you know that Kingsford charcoal was originally a byproduct of Ford Model T production?

I'm not sure if I won you over with that deep cut, but hopefully it will at least bolster your next trivia game.

I know that canned green beans are typically paired with Campbell's soup and fried onions, but I would love to think that WD was not intentionally trying to create a Thanksgiving casserole using the back aisle of this store as early as August.

I'm not used to seeing a backlit shelf topper for baby products over the greeting card displays.

Best yet, I didn't expect to still find some SE Grocers paper products scattered about the store; I thought they had all disappeared in favor of C&S Wholesale house brands.

It looks like some of the C&S items made their first appearance on August 4th, if this shelf tag is anything to go by.

Dare we take a gander down aisle thirteen?

Around the time I stopped by this store, a rumor was circulating in the comments section of my Winn-Dixie conversion post about Fairlife being discontinued in Southeastern Grocers' stores.  That myth was later debunked, but it seems like SEG may have been battling a temporary shortage of the popular dairy product earlier in the summer.  I also just recently learned that Fairlife is distributed by Coca-Cola.

I feel like canned dog food doesn't pair well with brioche.

Regardless, the two found themselves a stone's throw from each other in Williston.

Well, this looks like most any other Winn-Dixie bakery I've seen.

Likewise, the old pharmacy counter was obscured by some temporary Frito-Lay displays.

Just opposite the chips was a wide selection of detergents.  Yummy!

Notice the Advance DISCOUNT Auto Parts store next door.

That may conclude our adventures inside the main supermarket, but let's pop over to the liquor store next door.

This exclusive set of doors was added during the 2021 remodel.

The liquor store may have been small, but it offered a wide selection of spirits and a limited selection of beer and wine.  It still seems odd that both stores needed to provide redundant SKUs; however, corporate likely intended for the liquor store to act as a one-stop shop of sorts.  I know most locations also feature a small display of soft drinks and lemons / limes to be used as mixers. 

Unfortunately, the fixture auction also included several pieces from the liquor store, indicating that SEG decided to call it quits on this side of town.

While items from the liquor store were up for sale, the auction notably lacked several common finds, including the slanted produce tables, seasonal dump bins, or any gondola shelving.  I have to wonder if most of these pieces were salvaged for use at one of the three acquired Hitchcock's stores, and if so, why Winn-Dixie didn't save any of the newer refrigerated cases.  Moreover, a typical Winn-Dixie auction has roughly 400 lots and this one only had half that.  I suppose time will only tell . . .

Well, folks, that will conclude this year of The Sing Oil Blog; I hope y'all enjoyed this journey as much as I have.  I plan to take several weeks off to spend time with family and friends, but in the meantime, I pray that you have a wonderful Christmas season and a happy new year!

Until next time, 

 - The Sing Oil Blogger