Sweetbay’s lone location in Plant City will close its doors for the final time this weekend.
When they reopen six days later, they will reveal Plant City’s new Winn-Dixie.
Starting March 29, members from Winn-Dixie’s marketing, operations and other departments will descend on the location to complete the conversion, which will be complete April 4.
“You’re talking about coming in on Saturday and then opening back up on a Friday,” said Winn-Dixie spokeswoman Mayra Hernandez. “So, there will be large groups of people coming in and making stuff happen.”
To change the store over, there will be reshelving and restocking with Winn-Dixie brand products. And although some of the aisles may feature different products, most of the services will be located in the same areas — including the bakery, liquor store next door and customer-service desk.
The staff also will be largely the same.
“They’ve been offered positions, and whoever chooses to stay can stay,” Hernandez said.
Winn-Dixie will offer all its usual savings programs. The Winn-Dixie Customer Reward Card is a free membership card that allows customers to take advantage of the best deals and values when presented at checkout. It is coupled with the gas reward program through which customers can earn savings at Shell stations, and several other savings incentives.
Until March 29, residents can find discounts on Sweetbay-brand items and fresh produce.
“Upon reopening as a Winn-Dixie, we believe customers will be pleasantly surprised to see that we have been working hard to provide the fresh, quality products they want at prices they can afford,” said Joey Medina, Winn-Dixie’s regional vice president.
Plant City’s location is part of a 16-store transition throughout Tampa Bay. The conversions take place after Bi-Lo Holdings, the parent company of Winn-Dixie, purchased 72 Sweetbay stores in a $265 million acquisition last year.
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
ALL ABOUT TOWN
Seventeen Sweetbay locations throughout Tampa Bay will transition to the Winn-Dixie brand.
HILLSBOROUGH
205 W. Alexander St., Plant City
11230 Martin Luther King Blvd., Seffner
10579 Big Bend Road, Riverview
6929 U.S. 301 S., Riverview
16751 Fishhawk Blvd., Lithia
2535 S.R. 60 E., Valrico
252 Harbor Village Lane, Apollo Beach
1023 North Tamiami Trail, Ruskin
PINELLAS
10202 Seminole Blvd., Seminole
6851 Gulfport Blvd., South Pasadena
2139 34th St. N., St. Petersburg
7625 Blind Pass Road, St. Petersburg
7491 Fourth St. N., St. Petersburg
3327 Ninth St. N., St. Petersburg
MANATEE COUNTY
515 7th St., Palmetto
5805 Manatee Ave., Bradenton
HIGHLANDS COUNTY
3250 U.S. 27 S., Sebring