By JON WILSON, Consulting Editor, TB Reporter

The chain supermarket is expected to be open by fall 2017.

TAMPA — A Publix store is coming to the University of South Florida in a move that will mark the supermarket chain’s first venture on a college campus, the Tampa Tribune’s TBO.com has reported.

Construction might begin as soon as next month, and the store may be open by fall 2017.

It will take place on the southeast corner of Fletcher Avenue and North Palm Drive. The 29,000-square-foot store will be part of a student housing project. There will be 150 parking places and meeting places for students, who may also take advantage of two job fairs Publix promises each year.

Publix will initially pay  USF $130,000 yearly as rent for the store’s land, according to the Tribune. USF will have no financial obligations in the deal.

The new student housing project will boost on-campus living from about 5,600 to 7,000, giving the supermarket a nice pool of potential customers nearby.

The grocery giant, founded in 1930 in Winter Haven, has 767 stores in Florida. Though the company doesn’t comment on its average store size, it is generally thought to be in the 40,000 to 60,000 square-foot range.

Tampa | USF | Business | Grocery Stores | | Publix  | TB Reporter

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