Publix will close its 66th Street store this Saturday July 27th so the grocery chain can demolish the existing building and rebuild a new supermarket in its place.

The current supermarket, located at 3900 66th Street North, was built in 1976.

The city is currently reviewing a permit for Publix to build a new Publix Food & Pharmacy and a separate liquor store on the 6.25-acre site at a project cost of $10.5 million. Laura’s Five Star Jewelry on the corner of 66th Street and 38th Avenue North will not be demolished.

Publix is known for updating its older stores. The company previously rebuilt its grocery store on the west side of Fourth Street at 38th Avenue North.

Windcrest Development Group of Orlando is developing the new shopping center. Hawkins Construction Inc. of Tarpon Springs is the contractor for the demolition and the construction. Fisher & Associates LLC of Clearwater is the architect. Campo Engineering Inc. of Tampa has provided engineering services for the project.

The existing 48-year-old freestanding Publix store is 56,565 square feet, according to the Pinellas County Property Appraiser. The new store will be 57,554 square feet, comprising the 55,454-square-foot grocery store and a 2,100-square-foot liquor store.

The new Publix parking lot will contain 241 parking spaces, including 9 handicap spaces.

Publix will construct a new stormwater system to meet county improvement standards for redevelopment at the site, which does not have an existing stormwater system, according to a previously filed stormwater application submitted to the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

During construction, customers of the 66th Street Publix will have to shop elsewhere. There are three Publix stores within three miles of the 66th Street store with the nearest being 1.6 miles away at 1600 66th Street North.

Publix has not announced the planned opening date of the new 66th Street store.

Today, Publix operates over 1,300 stores throughout the Southeast.