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Publix Debuts GreenWise Publix In South Tampa

Tribune photo by CHRIS URSO

Invited guests browse Monday at the new Publix GreenWise Market at 2403 W. Azeele St. in South Tampa.

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By MICHAEL SASSO

msasso@tampatrib.com

Published: November 6, 2008

TAMPA - Publix GreenWise Market's niche is natural and organic groceries, but what will catch your eye is its medley of gourmet prepared foods - made with natural, organic and conventional ingredients.

The new 39,000-square-foot store boasts 10 individual "culinary venues," stations that serve different styles of fresh, prepared foods. This week, the Mediterranean Oven station was serving spinach and mushroom lasagna, among other dishes. The Chef's Selection area was serving up such items as herb-stuffed meatless portabella.

If the nation is in a recession, it doesn't appear to be stopping Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets from targeting affluent shoppers.

Publix debuts its first Tampa Bay-area GreenWise Market at 8 a.m. today at 2403 W. Azeele St. in Tampa. After today's opening, store hours will be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The company has opened GreenWise stores in Boca Raton and Palm Beach Gardens, and is planning two more in the Orlando and Tallahassee areas.

The company won't say how much it spent on the new Tampa store, located in the Hyde Park neighborhood. But the land alone, which sits between Howard and Armenia avenues, cost $3.5 million, according to property records. Inside the store, Publix built escalators so shoppers can move between two floors of parking located above the store.

Food and product prices at the new store are comparable to other Publix stores for similar items, spokeswoman Shannon Patten said. However, shoppers may wind up paying more if they splurge on some of the pricier items exclusive to GreenWise.

For example, GreenWise only carries Boar's Head cold cuts, which generally are more expensive than store-brand meats and cheeses. Most Publix stores have Boar's Head and lower-priced Publix-brand cold cuts. Also, fans of gourmet Japanese kobe beef will dish out $35 to $70 a pound at GreenWise.

Reporter Michael Sasso can be reached at (813) 259-7865.

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