Kane Realty Corporation and Williams Realty & Building Company have confirmed that a Publix supermarket will be coming to downtown Raleigh on Peace Street. The store will be located on the ground floor of a new apartment tower.
The land that the luxurious supermarket will be built on is changing roles to a more commercialized and residential area compared to the small stores and offices that used to occupy Peace street at one time.
Students who live on campus at William Peace University currently have to drive through downtown to access one of the closest grocery stores. With the future Publix only being one block away from campus, students and faculty will be able to cut down on driving time and not have to worry about Raleigh traffic.
“I think it will be very convenient for a lot of people, Peace students especially,” said WPU sophomore Julia Hardy. “Target and Walmart are kind of a drive, so the Publix will be a much easier place to go buy groceries. Because of how convenient it will be, I can definitely see myself going to shop there in the future.”
The grocery store will also be convenient for individuals who do not have a form of transportation or commute to class during the week. It will be a short and easy walk for on campus residents and commuters needs.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it because I am a commuter and have a home about an hour away,” said WPU senior Meredith Lascallette. “I also work in Cameron Village, so I could do all of my adulting in one area. Plus, it’ll help a lot of those business men and women that work and live in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Being able to get fresh and good food will help a ton especially with quick lunches.”
Residents of downtown Raleigh have a lot to look forward to with Publix offering products and services in grocery, deli, bakery, produce, floral, home, meat, and seafood departments. This wide variety of departments will make running errands easier to complete in one place.
It will be important to make students aware of the new store once it is built so that they can stop by sometime to check it out. They may discover that they love the store and become a frequent customer.
“I’ve heard of Publix but I’ve never been to any of them so I don’t know much about the store or their prices,” said WPU junior Carlee Jackson. “Considering I don’t live on campus, I probably wouldn’t shop there often, but I could see myself stopping by on the way home after class to check it out.”
Not only will Publix offer goodies to students, but may also offer forms of employment for those seeking a job. This new store would make a great part time job for students with it being so close to campus. It would be an easy transition to go from class to work within minutes of each other. Publix will be a great addition to the growing community in downtown Raleigh.