New Pelican spotlights President Jonathan Lickstein on Publix’s South Florida building spree
New Pelican
Publix’s construction boom is hard to miss—new supermarkets are popping up just blocks from existing ones across Broward and Palm Beach counties. With Florida’s population swelling from 18.8 million in 2010 to 23.3 million in 2024, the grocer says nearby stores help ease congestion and keep traffic flowing.
Jonathan Lickstein, president of Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors®, sees the trend firsthand around his Boca Raton neighborhood. “In a two-mile radius, there are three stores,” he notes, adding that booming growth makes the extra square footage “kind of a necessity.” When an older Publix can’t physically expand—limited parking, tight lots—building a fresh store across the street is often the quickest way to handle surging demand while preserving the in-store experience shoppers expect.
Lickstein says, “It just has to do with congestion and the population (increase) we’ve seen in the last five years. They’re forced to maintain a certain experience.”