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July 29, 2006
Winn-Dixie Inc. will close seven stores, including Pensacola's Navy Boulevard store.
The stores -- also in Palm Beach, Tallahassee, Pembroke Pines, Largo, Jacksonville and Deltona -- were not meeting the company's performance expectations, said Robin Miller, spokeswoman for the Jacksonville-based chain.
Nearly 600 employees, about 67 in Pensacola, could be laid off, according to filings with the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation.
Pensacola employees were informed Thursday that the store is expected to close in late August.
Miller said the chain will try to transfer employees to nearby locations if there are openings. No other details were available late Friday.
The Navy Boulevard store, which opened about 25 years ago, is one of seven Winn-Dixie stores in Pensacola.
The news came as surprise for many longtime customers.
"I'm shocked," said Betty Reed, who resides a block away. "I'm going to miss it terribly. And I'll have to drive farther, to Food World, now."
Claudia Tolbert, who has resided in the neighborhood for 38 years, said she has shopped at the store since it opened.
"I'm really sorry to see them close," she said. "I know everybody here. I've shopped at Winn-Dixie since it was still called Quick Check and it was on Barrancas Street."
Corporate policy prevented store employees from commenting on the closing.
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