Publix to close two Atlanta area stores, including longtime Midtown location
A grocery store that has anchored a popular Midtown development for two decades is set to close after Christmas.
Publix confirmed it will shutter its Atlantic Station location on Dec. 27. The grocery store is nestled in the project known for its glass towers, Regal movie theater and collection of shops and restaurants.
Publix will also close another store just outside the city of Chamblee, located in the Shallowford Exchange shopping center at 2562 Shallowford Rd. NE. That location will also close Dec. 27, a spokesperson confirmed.
The spokesperson didn’t give a reason for either closure.
“As one might imagine, there are a number of factors that go into determining whether we will continue to operate a store location,” the spokesperson said, referencing the Atlantic Station location.
Publix said affected associates will be offered jobs at nearby locations.
Rival Kroger this year also closed some of its intown grocery stores, saying they were “underperforming.” Discount grocer Lidl, meanwhile, recently opened a new store in West Midtown, not far from Atlantic Station.
The Atlantic Station grocery store was about 30,000 square feet, according to a 2003 report from CoStar. It was smaller than a typical Publix, which averages around 50,000 square feet.
In a statement, Atlantic Station’s management team called the retail industry cyclical and said it plans to keep adapting. Real estate investment firm Hines has owned Atlantic Station since 2015.
“We have an opportunity to reimagine the space and consider concepts that will add new options and value to the surrounding community,” statement said, adding that plans for the Publix space will be shared when final.
Atlanta retail and restaurant website Tomorrow’s News Today first reported the Publix closures.
Atlantic Station recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. The project transformed a polluted steel mill into a mixed-use district. Other anchor retail tenants include Dillard’s, Target and H&M. The community boasts about 6,000 residents and 11 million annual visitors.
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