MONEY

Lucky's to replace Winn-Dixie in West Melbourne

Wayne T. Price

FLORIDA TODAY

The West Melbourne Winn-Dixie at 3170 W. New Haven Ave. closed in December 2015 after operating for more than three decades.

Winn-Dixie is closing its longtime store on New Haven Avenue in West Melbourne, further shrinking the Brevard County footprint of what once was one of the area's top supermarkets.

In its place will be a new higher-end specialty supermarket chain called Lucky's Market that specializes in natural and organic foods. Lucky's Market, based in Boulder, Colorado, has started to open stores in Florida as it expands into other states.

"They wanted the best location in the Melbourne area and I think this is it," said Edmund Terry, of Boca Raton, owner of the Plaza West Shopping Center at 3130 W. New Haven Ave., where the soon-to-close Winn-Dixie is located.

Terry, who owns a home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where he became familiarized with Lucky's Market, said the super market is on par with Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Fresh Market.

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"They are an upcoming super market chain," Terry said. "I would rate them a step above Whole Foods."

Lucky's Market, started in 2003 by Trish and Bo Sharon, also will feature locally grown produce and products at its stores.

A representative from Lucky's Market could not be reached for comment Wednesday morning.

Terry said the new store should be open by next summer and that Lucky's is pouring at least $3 million into interior and exterior renovations.

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Lucky's Market will open its first Brevard County store, in West Melbourne, on Jan. 11. The Boulder, Colorado-based high end supermarket is growing across the Midwest and into Florida. This is from a Lucky's that opened in Iowa City.

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Winn-Dixie's closing in West Melbourne will leave Winn-Dixie with seven stores in Brevard. The West Melbourne store opened in 1982.

"We deeply regret having to close in West Melbourne," said Tiffany Hutto, a Winn-Dixie spokeswoman. "We made every reasonable effort to re-negotiate our lease agreement with the landlord so that we could remain in this location and continue to serve the West Melbourne community. Unfortunately, the landlord chose to work with another retailer and will not extend our lease beyond its expiration date of Jan. 17, 2016."

Hutto said Winn-Dixie expects the store to remain open until Dec. 5. The grocer is trying to find employment opportunities at the other Winn-Dixie locations for employees displaced by the West Melbourne closing, she said.

Contact Wayne T. Price at 321-242-3658 or wprice@floridatoday.com.