New Publix on Hwy 98 in SoWal breaking ground

[bluemtnrunner]

Why are we in such a hurry to make 98 in SoWal look like 98 in neighboring counties? The same goes for 331. Why does progress equal more choices and more places to spend money?

Amen Kurt. Be careful what you ask for people, bring in some big stores and it suddenly becomes very convenient to live here so more people move in and provide customers for more big stores and before you know it WE are PC and Destin.
Growing up my folks ran a bait and tackle store. We sold sweatshirts that said "Englewood, the last unspoiled beach." People laugh but our only fast food was Burger QUEEN. It was not convenient living there but it sure was idylic. But one store after another, one housing development and condo after another and it has turned into just another stop on the highway.

 

[CiaoBella]

Are you on their payroll? Publix is really nice but The Fresh Market serves those of us who want quality, not quantity, who want the best available when entertaining and hard to find items. However, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods would be the best! Yes, Kelly's is a sad excuse for a store but why does Freeport need more? I have had relatives in Freeport for generations and other than living there 100 years, who wants to live there?

 

[scooterbug44]

I have no idea about clothes, and I won't get between women and what they wear (often), but you can open a new browser window and get clothes from anywhere in the world. I'm sure women have to try stuff on from time to time but that is just a bad habit.

What is a "unique/random household/hardware item"? If Frank's or Ace doesn't have it do you really need it? And if you do, you can also order it. There also is a wide variety of good produce at the stores I already mentioned but it may be a bit seasonal, which just means it's fresher.

Spoken like a man - y'all are spoiled by being the same size in every store/catalogue! ;-)

A unique/random household/hardware item is one of those strange items you need and that you will probably never have to buy again in your life, so oddly enough it isn't stocked at a small local store.

 

[elgordoboy]

Trader Joe's blows and as much as I would love a Whole Foods....hah. It'll be a long while before we have the volume demographics to support one. Though I would drive an hour and a half once or twice a week to shop at a Whole Foods. I am extremely happy to have a Fresh Market in driving distance though I am phasing it out by mail ordering more and more. I did stop in For the Health of it to look around the other day. Very nice selection and I'll have to remember to go there first. I have terrible reactions to patchouli though.

 

[ShallowsNole]

I love ordering everything on line and having it delivered to mydoor...

Hey, I'm the QVC/Amazon/Lane Bryant queen. The UPS guy brings my stuff to the office, so I can smuggle it past Fuzz into the house.

btw, I need a tutorial in Multi-Quote. In the meantime, I'd like to point out, with a smile, to Kurt that Franks and Ace are not open on Sunday, which is when the honey-do jobs at my house get done. And also to CiaoBella - lots of people live in Freeport, and love it. When I lived over there, it was like having all that SoWal had to offer, without the hassle of mojo property tax and insurance. Except, now Freeport has the tax and insurance issues too.

 

[chrisv]

Are you on their payroll? Publix is really nice but The Fresh Market serves those of us who want quality, not quantity, who want the best available when entertaining and hard to find items. However, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods would be the best! Yes, Kelly's is a sad excuse for a store but why does Freeport need more? I have had relatives in Freeport for generations and other than living there 100 years, who wants to live there?

OUCH! My wife grew up in Destin, she really had to adjust her perceptions when I moved her to Freeport!

But I love it- live on the water, can drop my boat in the water with the flip of a switch, and steam up a mess of blue crabs as soon as I empty them from the traps at my dock. Sure, we don't have big blue wayfinding signs or those architectural review boards to deal with, but I can go and shoot my gun in my yard if I feel like making a little noise, and I've never once been thrown out of the Lucky Star for drinking too much. As for Kelleys, where else can you go to get milk, bread, tampons and grocery store feet? And keep the money local...

 

[Smiling JOe]

Are you on their payroll? Publix is really nice but The Fresh Market serves those of us who want quality, not quantity, who want the best available when entertaining and hard to find items. However, Trader Joe's or Whole Foods would be the best! Yes, Kelly's is a sad excuse for a store but why does Freeport need more? I have had relatives in Freeport for generations and other than living there 100 years, who wants to live there?

As chrisv says, OUCH! Many people say the same thing about SoWal. No, I'm not on the Publix payroll. I just like Publix much more than Winn Dixie, Bruno's and Kelly's. Freeport has much to offer for a community, and with a little time, Freeport will have more of a centralized feeling of community than South Walton has. You don't have to open your pizza place in Freeport if you don't want to do so.

 

[scooterbug44]

OUCH! My wife grew up in Destin, she really had to adjust her perceptions when I moved her to Freeport!

Is there another Destin, one that is a world renowned center of culture and the arts?

 

[elgordoboy]

Is there another Destin, one that is a world renowned center of culture and the arts?

lol

 

[chrisv]

Is there another Destin, one that is a world renowned center of culture and the arts?

Heehee! I'm not touching that one