Video from NBC-2
Sweetbay Supermarkets plans to close 33 under-performing stores in Florida, including three stores in Collier County, according to media reports.
Local closings will include stores in Green Tree Plaza, 2482 Immokalee Road (corner of Airport-Pulling Road), North Naples; Magnolia Plaza, 5926 Premier Way (corner of Pine Ridge and Goodlette-Frank roads), North Naples; and Countryside, 4015 Santa Barbara Boulevard (corner of Radio Road), East Naples.
The closings, which are planned to occur by mid-February, will leave Sweetbay with 72 stores in the state.
Return to naplesnews.com today for more on this story.
Naples Paddle Fest
Miss USA 2013
Collier County - Fugitive Warrants…
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 52
FreshFace writes:
Publix has a monopoly now and they suck. Their produce rots within a couple days of bringing it home, eggs are usually just at the spoiled point and the meat is almost always right at expiration. All that "quality" and they charge premium prices. I travel all the way to Marco to go to Winn Dixie. It's much better. The Santa Barbara Sweet Bay used to be great and then they became worse than Publix (is that even possible??????).
Spock_is_logical writes:
Can't compete with Publix....
teazle writes:
Sweetbay used to be Kash n Karry.
Enough said.
naples759 writes:
swfl needs aldi's.
publix has enough clout to keep them out of naples.
swfl_ff writes:
Sad to see all those employees loose their jobs. It's also sad to see all that much less competition for our food dollars. Sweetbay was a feeble attempt to try and compete against Publix. Like others before it they tried and failed.
Sweetbay's parent company is making cutbacks in all their different chains. The closed all their Food Lions in Florida last year and I suspect this is the beginning of the end for Sweetbay. I give them another 2-3 years tops and they will be gone all together.
The grocery business in Florida is now pretty much controlled by Publix and Wal Mart. Publix works of it's image and nice stores and Wal Mart works off it's low pricing.
Right or wrong I just don't see any other chains making any kind of inroads here in Florida.
cerise writes:
Maybe so, but they are nothing alike. I shop at my Sweetbay nearly everyday. I am so glad it is not closing. Love the store! Sorry many of their other stores are not doing so well.
swampbuggy writes:
Hopefully Piggly Wiggly will come to Collier.
Opinionated writes:
Just another Kmart VS Wal-Mart thing, the larger entity always fazes out the other.
QueBonita writes:
What about the Bonita store? anyone know?
THE_Aquaman writes:
Another victim of trickle down Bush stuff, "right"? Amen!
elf writes:
Sad now we're stuck with Publix and higher prices. Time to move on.
LovesBS writes:
Don't know but hope it remains. Us 47%ers need a grocery store that understands. Pubics doesn't.
Bramble writes:
There's always Wal-Mart, Fresh Market, Wynns. I do hate to see them go, though. Nice stores in my opinion and the staff was always pleasant and helpful. The pharmacy was great.
Max_Headroom writes:
The Sweetbay in Greentree Plaza could never beat the Publix at Airport and Vanderbilt in prices.
SwampyGrl writes:
I will miss the one on Santa Barbara. I guess I will have to find another one! I think they have great food at a good price.
beerbong writes:
If you are not on a high horse. Sav-a-Lot has come a long way in the last two years.. The ones I have been in are always clean and the people are helpful and friendly. But they do not have the selection of the bigger stores.
naplesfl119 writes:
I was told that this Sweetbay store will remain open only the Pharmacy will be closing.
cozyboy writes:
Kroger is needed, anything but Publix where shopping is NOT a pleasure
LottoWinner writes:
Totally, totally agree. Publix is overrated and their prices are a joke.
baldygrandpa writes:
The consolidation in the grocery trade was always going to end in tears. We seniors remember with fondness when you bought bread from the Baker, meat from the Butcher and vegetables from the Greengrocer. Milk was delivered by the milkman. It was a short but inevitable step that one chain would come to dominate the market and therefore, with predatory pricing push the competition out. Comcast anyone?. Unfortunately I have to pay those crooks as part of my homeowners dues or I would be erecting a large antenna in my back yard. OOPs Homeowners would not allow it.
HarryNuts writes:
We sure do need an Aldis around here!
I also like Fresh Market but the prices are a bit high and it's completely out of the way in a crappy plaza. What a fancy store though.
I really hope some decent competition comes our way. Somebody needs to keep Publix on its toes.
KeepitRealMan writes:
Attention fellow shoppers -
to survive Sweetbay needs help 72 stores vs 1000+ Publix in Florida.
Read up on KROGER they need to be in Florida. Kroger Co. is an American retailer founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$90.4 billion in sales for fiscal year 2012 (ending January 28, 2012). It is the country's largest grocery store chain, its second-largest general retailer by revenue, and fourth-largest retailer in the world. As of 2010, Kroger operated, either directly or through its subsidiaries, 3,574 stores.
Kroger's headquarters are in downtown Cincinnati. Kroger-branded grocery stores are located throughout the Midwestern and Southern United States. Kroger also is parent to several "banner" chains, such as Ralph's in California.
If you want Sweetbay to stay in Florida they need Kroger.
Sad day in Florida when a little grocery chain loses stores and great employees.
trader9 (Inactive) writes:
Sweetbay overdid their "reentry" into the market w/o focusing on rebranding the stores. It cost them big time.
vrodman writes:
OK OK. Here's the deal. Publix, hands down, is the better grocery store. Period. They have GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. The quality of produce I have found is as good as any other store in our area. They have a great meat/fish department. And the general selection store wide is great. Now sure, they don't compete with Trader Joes, Fresh Market, Whole Foods but Publix prices aren't as high as them either! Albertsons came and went because they couldn't compete in the local market. I am not familiar with Aldi's and Krogers so I can't comment. The bottom line is that Publix, IMHO, is the best store for the working class in Naples. In spades. Of course you have to accept dealing with the shuck and jive attitude of the Jamaicans but that is typical labor pool in our area. And the pricing, they use a "competive" pricing thing that is kinda' strange. (same items in differnt areas of town priced differently) I had a general manager try to explain it to me). But still, all said and done, Publix is best for the working man. (I am still amazed to watch customer service personnel deal with our "special" seasonal residents as they head back North in the spring, empty out their ENTIRE pantrys and return them to PUblix with no receipts and get a FULL REFUND!!??) Publix does it with a smile. Show me another store in town that does that. Bottom line, Publix works for me. Just sayin'...
Max_Headroom writes:
I'm sorry, but which store are you referring to?
Patton writes:
This is more of a Romney type move. Brush up on your economics.
Patton writes:
You are absolutely right.
Patton writes:
Kroger's "Baker's" chain is pretty decent.
beetlejuice writes:
Publix does it with a smile cuz they jack up prices
WTF? Accepting consumer fraud witha smile???? YUP...exactly why shopping at Publix is not a pleasure
RIP OFF
who pays when cupboards clear out?
YOU DO
customer service gladly accepts knowing price hikes will make up loss
stop kidding yourself
cozyboy writes:
Hatians not Jamacians Mon.. Worst customer service especially in the MEAT DEPT. Cashiers are good, that's it.
LottoWinner writes:
^^^How long have you worked for Publix now? In spades.
double_d writes:
Someone needs to stand up and take responsibility. It's either Obama or George. One of them is responsible...after all, isn't that true for every article you clowns comment on. Publix is and will always be "where shopping is a pleasure"
baldygrandpa writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Kyser851 writes:
PUBLIX would be smart to go to all the closing SWEETBAY Supermarkets and recruit the employees for their stores, because the SWEETBAY employees could teach them a few things about the best in kind customer service! Publix hires rude unhappy just give me a pay check people who go outside and smoke 20 times a day then don't wash their hands before they slice your meat and bag your chicken. Too bad,..the folks at SWEETBAY were some of the happiest people to meet when doing your shopping!! THEY'LL BE MISSED! Good Luck to them all!!
Silver_Girl writes:
My husband and I go in between Sweetbay and Publix in Bonita depending on the specials they offer. For the most part we find that Sweetbay offers better cuts of meat for a lower price and Publix for cheese products, etc. It would be shame if Publix becomes a monopoly that we would have to depend on their lack of/shortage of certain meat. To have to pay a higher price in our opinion, Sweetbay, in whole carries a better selection of steaks, chicken, Italian sausage, pork, lamb, etc.
SunStar writes:
Paving way for the Publix monopoly! Sweet Bay bakery is nice and Publix bakery stuff tastes yucky. Now that customers in North Naples need to go to Sweet Bay on 41 near Bonita Beach Road.
NaplesSparky writes:
What everyone who commented on this article fails to realize is that absolutely no one else cares about their cranky, old-farted opinion on grocery stores. Competition is good, shop wherever you feel you get the best value and shut up about it. Next you're going to spend 10 minutes telling me about your last doctor appointment.
volochine writes:
Great comment, Sparky.....Totally agree.
What I noticed is that the complainers never mentioned which Pubix they shopped at. If you want to make a point, get specific. I love our Publix at Pelican Landing. See how easy that was.
We are talking about groceries. While I'm sorry Sweet Bay is closing some stores, where have some you been for the last 30 years? Stores close all the time. I used to love Venture, Gold Circle, and Marshall Fields.
Some of you price nuts, looking to save 30 cents on Fibre One, just don't see the bigger picture.
Aldi's the discount, the low income area chain is owned by the same group as Trader Joes, the high end specialty grocer.
brianfl writes:
Venture? That is going back in time for me. I remember going there was I was little. Too bad Kmart was putting everyone out of business back then. Look at Kmart now. Funny how the world works. I almost hope the same happens to Walmart. Hey remember Grandpa's? Great fishing and hardware sections in those stores
itmattershere writes:
We are stupid people for letting things like this happen. A Monopoly for Publix. It is coming to the point where there will only be 1 player for every aspect of business. We will be forced to shop or buy at 1 place for an item. There will be no competition for anyone or anything. Money, Money, Money is power, and the buyout's or force out's will continue. It's a fact jack. So get used to it.
NaplesSparky writes:
Sure, a monopoloy for Publix. If you don't count Winn Dixie, the other dozen Sweetbay Stores that aren't closing, WalMart, Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wynn's, and every vegetable stand and convenience/drug store in the area. Other than that, absolutely NO competition for Publix. Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
kingkoby writes:
Yes President Obama came personally and closed these stores. My car broke down the other day - I guess he's responsible for that too. These are problems with business practices - you don't ever see a Publix close.
rusty11 writes:
I know you love to blame everything on Obama, but how many years ago did Home Depot put all the little hardware stores out of business, in the beginning it was a great store low prices, great customer service who know electrical, plumbing ect. Once they became a monopoly everything changed. The same with comcast and now the supermarkets try asking someone in super walmart for information, that is is you find one that speaks english.
ArrowII writes:
I would like to see The Fresh Market go into that space as the Vanderbilt Beach Road near Airport Road space is too expensive for anyone.....
Diamond87 writes:
Quiznos is way better than Subway yet Quiznos is gone too. Everything at Publix is more expensive. So basically everything I buy from the grocery store just went up $1.50. It amazes me what people will complain about and what they don't look at when it comes to prices. These rich old people will complain about having to pay an extra dollar for an item they modified at a restaurant. Yet they flock to Publix. I can't believe how many Publix there here in Naples. They treat their employees bad too.
FreshFace writes:
I second that or smoking some 5 week old Publix lettuce they're trying to sell you for $2.00 a head!
Shop the Publix on Collier and Rattlesnake or Collier and 41. Most disgusting places ever!!!!!!! Dirty, prices never marked properly, out of date produce/meat/dairy/bakery. How they can get away with this is beyond me! North Naples has it a little better, but I can't afford to drive up to north Naples every week. I can't wait to get the hell out of this dodgy town.
ArrowII writes:
Just now heard on the radio Sweetbay closings will put 3,000 people out of jobs.
luvsnaplessometimes (Inactive) writes:
AGREED! I'm going to miss my Sweetbay and would take them any day over Publix.
NaplesHotTamale writes:
This is completely ridic! Do you guys even shop for food or are you all blind to what is happening right in front of your faces?! LMFAO! Obviously you have the higher prices but who shops at walmart grocery stores?! Where were you all when Sweetbay (KashandKarry) needed you?
jls1218 writes:
Amazing some of the things you said...sweetbay always gave refunds to those who returned half their pantry every year before going home. Confused how Publix can be so good for the working class when they jack up their prices depending on where you go...and their customer service is just fine, if you can find someone on an aisle what will actually look at you or speak to you in English. Truly amazing that most of you could care a less that 2000+ people will not have jobs by mid feb.
Want to participate in the conversation? Become a subscriber today. Subscribers can read and comment on any story, anytime. Non-subscribers will only be able to view comments on select stories.