- April 17, 2024
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The Publix grocery store on Longboat Key will soon offer curbside pickup for customers, Town Manager Tom Harmer said during Monday's virtual town commission meeting.
Harmer said it would take at least two days for the grocer to get the curbside running.
“The manager from Publix notified us that corporate has given him permission ... to implement online ordering and curbside pickup,” Harmer said.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Publix store at 525 Bay Isles Parkway has installed Plexiglass barriers between cashiers and shoppers, a project that is also taking place around the store chain. The store has also limited each customer to one case of water, one package of toilet paper or one package of paper towels.
“[The Publix manager ] still has to work through the logistics of all that, and get his people trained,” Harmer said. “So, that’s really big news for our residents and it’s exciting to see they’re looking out for Longboat Key.”
Mayor Ken Schneier credited Harmer, fire chief Paul Dezzi and “charitable groups” for lobbying Publix to implement curbside pickup service in Longboat Key.
“I can’t overstate how much of an accomplishment that is from where we stood about 24 hours ago, where the Publix management from up top was saying, ‘we just can’t do this,’ ” Schneier said.
Commissioner BJ Bishop said several residents have emailed, texted and called her, asking if Publix would consider offering curbside service. Volunteer groups on the island, willing to make store runs for neighbors, have balked at the idea of shopping at the store without curbside service.
At some point this week, Harmer is expected to provide more information about how Publix will roll out its curbside service.
Publix does not directly deliver groceries to people, but the grocer uses a third-party delivery service called Instacart. People can call Instacart at (888)246-246-7822 to have their Publix groceries delivered.
As of Monday, the town of Longboat Key has seven confirmed cases of COVID-19.
