Wilton Manors

[Steve Landry]

Edric, are you familiar with 5 Points in Wilton Manors? (5 points because of the intersection).

At this intersection there is a Publix (it was Grand Union) and about a block or so away there is a brick restaurant (forget the name) in a strip shopping center (kind of odd L shape). The brick building was a former A&P replete with steeple and all that was the traditional colonial style.

It is an eye catcher and in mint condition.

The Publix's address is 2633 N.Dixie Hwy.

[Edric Floyd]

Steve,

I am familiar with 5 points in Wilton Manors. When I was a child (early 70's) my mother used to take us to the A&W drive in at that corner. That old restaurant building is still there as an office AND still has the covered parking spaces of the original drive-in restaurant.

The Publix was across from the A&W at the NW corner of the intersection in a strip shopping center. It was a 1950's vintage. That shopping center was torn down in 2001 and a new store was built with a new round shaped entrance.



The drug store that was next to the original Publix moved into a free standing store built on the South corner of the intersection. It was an Eckerd's which was taken over by CVS Pharmacy in 2005.

The old A&P and its shopping center is in mint condition. It has been an Italian restaurant for years.

The Grand Union was just South/west of the intersection and that area is called the Shoppes of Wilton Manors with new sections and additions to the original Supermarket building. There is a fitness club, a coffee shop, a couple gay nightclubs and a few stores including one called "Gay Mart".

The only hint of the original Grand Union building is the front floor to ceiling windows that were angled "\" at one end.

The Grand Union closed in the mid 1980's and for a couple years, this store was a Piggly Wiggly.

[Steve Landry]

Ah, thank you Edric.

As usual, folks twist things around as times goes by.

I was told that the present Publix was newly built to replace the older Publix that was there on the same lot. Also, that the original store front entrance was NOT on Dixie Highway? But, I was incorrectly told that the old Publix was originally a Grand Union. Thanks for clearing that up.

I know the location of the old Grand Union you mentioned, only because you mentioned it. It is in the shopping center where the Alibi club is? Right? Yeah, that makes sense.

I am sure you remember that the Pearl Crafts store on Oakland near Dixie a few blocks away was a Food Fair/Pantry Pride? It was a very high volume store and quite large for its time.

There are some other stores very close to this Pearl Crafts store that I wonder if you know their history. As you travel towards Dixie, on the left, passing the Pearl Craft store?

:)

P.S. Do you have a foto of that old A&P now restaurant? I know that our Humble Host would get a kick out of that. It is so perfectly preserved!