Another Publix To Open Off County Line Road

The eighth Publix store in Hernando County will be built along County Line Road, a company spokeswoman said.

The Villages of Avalon - a housing development and new plaza opening at the corner of Anderson Snow Road - will include a 45,000-square-foot store with a bakery and pharmacy.

"It's our typical, average-sized store," said Publix spokeswoman Shannon Patten.

It will be located less than four miles from the store located at Mariner Boulevard and less than three miles from the one at the corner of Barclay Avenue and Spring Hill Drive.

Despite the proximity to the other stores, there is no fear of overlap.

"It's not going to be a replacement store," Patten said. "There are no plans to close any locations there."

Construction has not yet begun, but stores generally open within nine months of the groundbreaking, she said. That could mean it would be ready to open by summer 2009.

Since Publix announced it would purchase 49 Albertsons last summer, several stores are being transitioned.

In Hudson, the former Albertsons at Tower Oaks Terrace, located at 12101 Little Road, will become a Publix before the end of the year.

The grocery chain is following its pattern of opening new locations within a few miles of existing stores.

The Hudson store will be located less than four miles from the Publix located at the corner of Hudson Avenue.