“Welcome to Publix” – Birmingham opens first downtown grocery store in decades (photos)

Birmingham Alabama

Birmingham opened its first downtown grocery store in decades this morning.

About a hundred people gathered on the corner of 20th Street South and 3rd Ave. South to enter the new Publix grocery store at 7:00am.

Mayor William Bell, city councilors, local business and community leaders, the media and people from all walks of life eagerly walked through the entrance doors and became the first customers at this new “state of the art” store, located in the heart of the city.

Bham Now was in attendance this morning to capture this important step in the transformation of downtown Birmingham. Check out below pictures from the grand opening celebration.

Birmingham Alabama
A very proud Mayor William Bell at the grand opening of the downtown Publix
Birmingham Alabama
Ice cream for breakfast! First customers enjoy a sample of ice cream at the downtown Publix grand opening

Birmingham Alabama

Birmingham Alabama
Longtime Birmingham City Councilwoman Valerie Abbott welcomes Publix to the city
Birmingham Alabama
President of the Birmingham City Council Johnathan Austin welcomed customers. The new Publix is in Austin’s downtown council district.

Publix 5 "Welcome to Publix" - Birmingham opens first downtown grocery store in decades (photos)

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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