Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ZACHARY SEIFTER/ Staff Writer

 

In recent weeks, several towns in Chilton County have held strategic planning meetings put together by NextMove Group and the Chilton County Industrial Development Authority.

These meetings have hosted locals from each of the towns, allowing them to give input for what they would like to see in their towns in the future.

Being a reporter, I did not participate, as it is not my place to throw my hat into the ring for towns I do not live in, especially while I am working.

However, after sitting in on these meetings, there is one thing that I would really like to see in Chilton County in the near future.

That would be a Publix.

The grocery store chain is extremely popular in the southeast, and it also holds a very special place in my heart. I grew up 15 minutes from Publix’s main corporate office in Lakeland, Florida, the town where Publix opened its first ever store.

I also worked at Publix through my latter high school years and early college years.

Some of my closest friends are ones that I made while working there. I have many fond memories of that time, and although I moved on to other things, I still am a very loyal Publix shopper because of those times.

Currently, I find myself driving outside of Chilton County to do my shopping because of that loyalty. It would save me some money on gas should one be opened in Chilton County.

I am also head over heels in love with their chicken tender subs.

So, although there may be other things added to the towns of Chilton County in the near future, my heart’s truest desire for this county is a Publix.

If you live in Maplesville, Thorsby or Jemison and haven’t gotten to share your thoughts on what you would like to see in those towns in the future but would like to, contact the NextMove Group’s Chad Chancellor at chad@thenextmovegroup.com.