A $3 million grocery store renovation is underway at the former Winn-Dixie building on the border of Safe Harbor and Clearwater.
And it could be Amazon Fresh.
Plans filed with the city of Safe Harbor suggest the e-commerce giant may be behind a reimagining of the 35,000-square-foot store that closed last summer at 2519 N McMullen Booth Rd. at the Northwood Oaks mall.
Initial architectural plans refer to the project as “Mendel,” the code name used for the Amazon Fresh stores being developed across the country, according to media reports and public records. The proposed exterior sign, a large central banner with a three-tiered sign on one side, matches the design of several existing stores. And the canopy over the front door is to be painted Sherwin Williams Lime Green, the exact same shade as other Amazon Fresh stores.
In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said, “Amazon does not comment on rumors or speculation.”
The property is owned by a limited liability corporation called ECA Elle Northwood Partners. By phone on Friday, a spokesman for the company declined to comment, saying the project was confidential.
The store is in a mall that also has Bonefish Grill, Pizza Hut, and Dollar Tree among other businesses. It is across McMullen Booth Road from Publix. Representatives from other grocery store chains, including Aldi, Trader Joe’s and Sprouts, said they are not building a store at the address.
Related: Amazon Fresh expands grocery delivery in Tampa
“Amazon Fresh” is a concept better known as same-day grocery delivery, and the service expanded to Tampa Bay in late 2019. product listings and searches, and contactless, skip-the-line payment options linked to your Amazon account. The stores stock almost everything you’d find in a typical grocery store, including meats, groceries, and baked goods; and all accept SNAP cash and benefits.
There are currently 25 Amazon Fresh stores across the country, most of them in California and Illinois, and none in Florida. The stores are separate from Whole Foods, which Amazon acquired in 2017, though they include features that have become commonplace in Whole Foods stores, such as the ability to return packages purchased from Amazon.
Another Amazon Fresh store is about to open in Boca Raton, according to South Florida media.