Bonaire businesses are excited about the new Publix opening in 10 days.
Erik Miller works at Houston Hardware and Garden Center in Bonaire.
He says there's no such thing as a quick trip to the grocery store after work.
“A lot of times I'll have to run up 96 or I'll have to run over on Houston Lake and hit Lake Joy and just take the long way home and hit one of the grocery stores, either Publix or Kroger,” Miller says.
He’s worked at the hardware store for three years and says Bonaire’s growth in that time has been amazing to watch.
Miller says when he does run to the grocery store after work, it adds about an hour to his trip back home in Haynesville.
It’s why he's excited that a Publix is opening right across from the hardware store.
“Having it right in my back yard, man I don't even have to take my car out of the parking lot. I can just walk over across the street and there I am,” Miller said.
13 WMAZ reporter Jacob Reynolds drove from the hardware store to the Kroger and Publix locations on Highway 96.
Without traffic, the trips took about 10 and 15 minutes.
But Houston Hardware owner Tom Williams says that's a different story with traffic.
“Well, if you go up there about 4:30 - 5 o'clock in the afternoon, it'll take you darn near 30 minutes to get there,” said behind the counter of his store.
He’s owned his shop for 35 years and says the new Publix will help in a few ways.
For Williams, it won’t just help cut down on time, it's already helping increase business and it's not even open yet.
“Publix is going to bring a lot of new people in my business and already we're seeing them because they opened up all these woods and all over here and they can see the store from 96,” Williams said.
He explained that when the Publix construction project cleared the woods around his shop, it started bringing in about 10 percent more business.
This will be Houston County’s fourth Publix, but the first in the Bonaire area of the County. The other Publix locations are on Highway 96 near Houston County High School, Watson Boulevard a few minutes from the I-75 exit, and in Perry near the Houston County Superior Courthouse.
The new location will have a deli, seafood department, meat department, pharmacy, produce and bakery.
Last week, as 13 WMAZ reported on the new Highway 96 overpass in Bonaire, two other businesses expressed excitement for the Publix.
Owner of the White Diamond, Karry Jay, said it would be nice to have a grocery store so close to her restaurant in case they ever ran out of anything. She also said she hoped it brought in new customers.
Owner of McDonald’s Western Store, Gwen Mitchell, also said she hoped the new Publix drove customers to the area for the other businesses.
The Publix, located at 510 Georgia Highway 247 South in Bonaire, will open on April 19 at 7:00a.m. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony about 15 minutes before the opening.