Jacksonville Daily Record 8/24/23

BIG NEWS DOESN’T BREAK JUST ON THURSDAY. HERE ARE SOME OF THE STORIES PUBLISHED AT JAXDAILYRECORD.COM THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED.

More details are available about codenamed Project Empire, the proposed 100-job, $64 million distribution center in North Jacksonville seeking a $1.5 million Recapture Enhanced Value Grant from City Council.

Municipal utility JEA approved a service availability request Aug. 3 for Project Empire, but like city summaries, no company or tenant was identified.

The JEA application provides more details about the project.

File image

Wawa opening two stores by the end of the month

Pennsylvania-based Wawa Inc. is opening two Jacksonville gas station and convenience stores in August.

The grand opening of the Wawa at 8742 Baymeadows Road is 8 a.m. Aug. 24 followed by a ribbon-cutting at 8:30 a.m., the company announced in a news release.

The 6,119-square-foot store is at southeast Baymeadows Road and Baymeadows Way west of Interstate 95.

Tremaine Hendrick is general manager for the store, which will have about 50 employees.

The Baymeadows store will feature free coffee until Sept. 3.

A second Wawa is planned to open Aug. 31 at 970 Cassat Ave., west of Normandy Village.

The 1.5-acre site is at Normandy Boulevard and Cassat Avenue.

Wawa said it will have opened 14 stores in Jacksonville since 2017. Wawa also has two stores in St. Johns County and one in Orange Park.

Wawa has said it plans to open up to 40 locations in the area.

JACKSONVILLE

Daily Record

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Established in 1912, the Jacksonville Daily Record is Northeast Florida’s newspaper for business leaders. Editorial content focuses on news and trends, with a concentration on development, real estate, construction, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local and state government affects business. The Jacksonville Daily Record is the leading publisher of public notices in three Northeast Florida counties: Duval, Clay and St. Johns.

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Zion Jacksonville LLC of Bronx, New York, is the property owner.

The two-phase 497,640-square-foot distribution center is planned on 50.2 acres at southwest Kraft and Eastport roads in North Jacksonville.

A site plan shows a 373,230-squarefoot first-phase building with a future expansion of 124,410 square feet.

The project is seeking a city property tax refund capped at $1.5 million over five years.

Etienne brothers team up with Ellianos Coffee

The Etienne brothers, star running backs for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Florida Gators, are teaming up with Ellianos Coffee to sell beverages.

Travis Etienne Jr. played college football at Clemson and was selected by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

His brother, Trevor, rushed for 719 yards and six touchdowns at Florida and

was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Ellianos Coffee, which sells its beverages at drive-thru-only kiosks, announced the partnership with the brothers Aug. 18.

Ellianos said the brothers will be promoted in upcoming marketing campaigns with content featured on social media.

Regency Centers completes $1.4 billion deal

Regency Centers Corp. said Aug. 18 it completed its acquisition of Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc., a deal that increases Jacksonville-based Regency’s portfolio to 480 properties across the country.

Urstadt Biddle operated 77 properties mainly in the New York metropolitan area. Like Regency, the company focused on developing and operating grocery-anchored shopping centers.

HOW TO FIND US

“These centers align well with Regency’s portfolio strategy and meaningfully expand our presence in strong trade areas in the Northeast,” Regency CEO Lisa Palmer said in a news release.

Regency announced the agreement in May to acquire Urstadt Biddle for stock valued at $1.4 billion.

Urstadt Biddle shareholders approved the deal at a special meeting Aug. 16.

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The Wawa gas station and convenience store chain said it plans up to 40 locations in Northeast Florida.

Project Empire a $64 million distribution center

Mercedes-Benz of Jacksonville to demo, rebuild Arlington dealership

sales and pre-owned vehicles buildings in Arlington.

The dealership will be open and operational during construction, said Mercedes-Benz of Jacksonville General Manager Barry Lamb.

“Jacksonville is growing, so we need to grow too,” Lamb said Aug. 14.

JEA is reviewing a service availability request for Fields Auto Group on 13.69 acres at 10231 Atlantic Blvd.

According to the application, Fields will demolish 32,108 square feet and the new construction will be 31,075 square feet.

tination more than ever,” Lamb said.

“It’s good for the area.”

Prosser Inc. is the civil engineer. Atlanta-based PRAXIS3 is the architect. No contractor has been chosen, Lamb said.

Winter Park, bought the property in 2016 from Brumos Motor Cars Inc.

BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

Fields Motorcars of Florida Inc. proposes to demolish and rebuild its Mercedes-Benz of Jacksonville

Lamb said he hopes to break ground by early next year and construction will take an estimated 12 months.

He said the new store “will be much bigger to accommodate our rapidly expanding business.”

Lamb said the new car dealership, the pre-owned dealership and the service building will be connected, combining what had been three separate buildings into one large one, “which will make it more convenient for the customers.”

“It will end up making us a des-

Lamb said the dealership will remain operating either as the construction takes place in phases or as trailers are set up.

Some existing structures and parking lots will remain.

The Duval County Property Appraiser shows that Fields Motorcars of Florida, based in

The dealership buildings were developed in 1971 through 2000 from 10211 to 10251 Atlantic Blvd. Fields also owns Lexus of Jacksonville at 10259 Atlantic Blvd. next to Mercedes-Benz. Fields Auto Group has nine Cadillac, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche dealerships and a collision center in Northeast Florida.

KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

Atlanta-based PRAXIS3 is the architect for the redeveloped Mercedes-Benz of Jacksonville.

The business will remain open and operating as Fields Motorcars of Florida Inc. razes and rebuilds at the Atlantic Boulevard site.

MATHIS

BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS | EDITOR | KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

Milkster Nitrogen Creamery opening in Miramar Plaza near San Marco

Milkster Nitrogen Creamery scheduled its grand opening week starting Aug. 22 at 3853 Hendricks Ave. in Miramar Plaza near San Marco.

“It’s finally here,” said owner Kristy Iuliano on Aug. 16 as she prepared for the soft opening.

“We’ve had a few construction hiccups, but feel it was definitely worth the wait.”

The city issued a permit Nov. 7, 2022, for Ticon Commercial LLC to renovate 1,497 square feet of space at a cost of $200,000. Thomas Duke Architect is the architect.

The site is north of Dunkin’ and Daily’s Dash.

Based in Detroit, Milkster franchises its concept that uses liquid nitrogen to custom-make every order of what it considers “nicecream” while a customer waits.

Spouses Dominick and Kristy Iuliano are partners in the Jacksonville franchise. Kristy Iuliano will be the owner and operator on-site.

She said previously she looked at other ice cream franchises, but liked the Milkster concept.

“When I tasted this ice cream, I knew this was the one.”

Iuliano said they signed the single-location franchise contract in December 2020 and looked for the first site all over Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach.

They chose the San Marco area because it is “a neighborhood with lots of children and lots of action,” she said.

Iuliano said she was impressed that Jacksonville-based property owners Nackashi & Nackashi LLC bought and want to revive the plaza, built in 1945, that was once the home of Piner’s Lock & Safe, which continues to operate by driving to customers who need its services.

The Milkstar storefront is the former Foliahom, a plant retailer that moved to 1917 Hendricks Ave.

“When this opportunity finally became available, we dove right in,” Iuliano said.

Milkster.com’s locations include three in Florida in Jacksonville, Clearwater and Lakeland.

Iuliano said after the store is established, she and her husband might look at other areas of town.

Milkster.com says Milkster

Nitrogen Creamery, also known as Nice Modern Creamery, uses liquid nitrogen to custom-make every order of “nicecream” while a customer waits.

“This provides a super smooth texture while eliminating the need for extra preservatives” and emulsifiers, the website says.

It explains that liquid nitrogen “is nitrogen (which makes

up 78% of our atmosphere) in a liquid state.”

“It is -321 degrees and is obviously very cold. Using liquid nitrogen to make ice cream minimizes the size of ice crystals and results in a much creamier ‘nicecream.’”

It says it also tries to use premium local ingredients when possible.

Flavors include Oreos Cookies

‘N Cream; Ferrero Rocher; Home-

Cooked Salted Caramel; Fresh Strawberry; Rich Truffle Chocolate; Biscoff Voyage; Madagascar Vanilla Bean; Cookie Dough; Almond Delight Vegan; Fresh Mint; Nutella; and Pumpkin.

To order, a customer selects a cup, decides on a base, such as vanilla or chocolate, and the recipe or custom ingredients.

A Milkster employee then freezes it into ice cream using liquid nitrogen.

It takes about 20 seconds to freeze and then the customer can add toppings. There also are flavor syringes to inject fillings such as caramel, chocolate and hazelnut.

Milkster offers cups, freshly made waffle cones and minipies.

It also has coffee that can be added to the ice cream or to drink.

The ice cream is 15% butterfat and the lack of air makes

it creamier. Iuliano also offers vegan options.

Iuliano said the Miramar Plaza location will have indoor seating and a walk-up window.

It also will offer an event area for birthday parties and other gatherings.

Iuliano said she wants to let local businesses know they can use it for employee meetings.

The Facebook page is Milkster Nitrogen Creamery Jacksonville.

Kristy and Dominick

Iuliano own the franchise that uses liquid nitrogen to custom-make every order of its “nicecream.”

Kristy Iuliano, owner of Milkster Nitrogen Creamery, outside the shop at 3853 Hendricks Ave. in Miramar Plaza near San Marco.

Gabi Iuliano uses liquid nitrogen at 321 degrees below zero to freeze a Milkster ice cream.

Photos by Stephanie Grau

Kristy, Gabrielle, Chloe and Dominick Iuliano, and pet, Louie. Spouses Dominick and Kristy Iuliano are partners in the Jacksonville franchise of Milkster Nitrogen Creamery. Kristy Iuliano will be the owner and operator on-site.

Top commercial sales of the week

Here are the top 10 commercial real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Aug. 14-20, 2023.

2022 Merchants Jax LLC

DUVAL

DUVAL

$4,345,000

5999 Normandy Blvd., Jacksonville

Type: CVS

Parcel size: 1.74 acres

Building size: 13,780 square feet

Buyer: 5999 Normandy LLC

Seller: Sutton Investment Group LLC

Previous sale: $1,280,700 in 2009

DUVAL

DUVAL

$2,900,000

2705-2727 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville

Type: Office

Parcel size: 1.02 acres

Building size: 19,926 square feet

Buyer: The American National Red Cross

Seller: St. Francis Animal Hospital Inc.

DUVAL

$2,738,031

Reunion Circle, Jacksonville

Type: 24 residential lots in

SEQ Residential Phases 1A & 1B

Parcel size: Not available

Buyer: Jax Construction

Holdings LLC

Seller: DRP FL 2 LLC

DUVAL

$2,724,000

626 Airport Center Drive, Jacksonville

Type: Arby’s Parcel size: 0.9 acre

Building size: 3,315 square feet

Buyer: We Have The Meats JAX LLC

Seller: Dale Kindermann

$2,400,000

13720 McCormick Road, Jacksonville

Type: Global Outreach

Charter Academy

Parcel size: Not available

Building size: Not available

Buyer: GOCA Properties

Intercoastal LLC

Seller: Simply Church Inc.

Yamaha Motor Corp.

U.S.A. purchased the 43,820-square-foot building at 9954 Heckscher Drive in Jacksonville. The property is along the northbank of the St. Johns River about 2.1 miles southwest of Huguenot Memorial Park.

$4,325,000

8665-8669 Baypine Road, Jacksonville

Type: Lakeside Plaza office

Parcel size: 5.37 acres

Building size: 70,186 square feet

Buyer: Narut Land Co. Inc.

Seller: Acorn Lakeside LLC

Previous sale: $2,700,000 in 2013

ST. JOHNS

$2,288,754

Torres Trace, St. Augustine

Type: 28 residential lots in Cordova Palms Phases One and Two

Parcel size: Not available

Buyer: Dream Finders

Homes LLC

Seller: VPDF Cordova LLC

WINN-DIXIE DESTINED TO SELL

BY MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

At the end of the last century, Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. stood as arguably Jacksonville’s most important company, the city’s only Fortune 500 firm and one of the largest grocers in the country with 1,188 stores in 12 states and $14 billion in annual sales.

Winn-Dixie was the biggest supermarket operator based in Florida, as Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets Inc. had 614 stores and $13 billion in sales in 1999.

However, a sales decline began in 2000 as Walmart Inc. and other new competitors took away Winn-Dixie customers, leading to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2005.

While it survived bankruptcy, it became inevitable that Jack-

sonville would eventually lose Winn-Dixie as a major headquarters company.

It survived a merger with another supermarket chain and a second Chapter 11 reorganization but finally, on Aug. 16, Aldi announced an agreement to buy the company now known as Southeastern Grocers Inc.

GONE BY 2024

The company headquartered in Jacksonville since 1944 will likely be gone by mid-2024, when Batavia, Illinois-based Aldi expects to complete its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers.

For decades, Winn-Dixie was controlled by the Davis family of Jacksonville who started the company in the mid-1920s and still controlled 36.5% of the stock when the company filed for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in February 2005.

However, the reorganization wiped out all of the shareholders,

including the Davises.

When Winn-Dixie emerged from Chapter 11 in November 2006, it maintained its West Jacksonville headquarters. But the company issued new stock and its largest shareholders were a group of investment firms who did not have any ties to Jacksonville.

Winn-Dixie was a much smaller company with 539 stores in five states at the end of fiscal 2006, and $7.2 billion in annual sales.

Analysts speculated that other supermarket chains would target Winn-Dixie for a buyout, including Kroger Co. and Delhaize Group, owner of the Food Lion chain.

Instead, it was a smaller chain, Bi-Lo LLC, that agreed to buy Winn-Dixie in 2012.

Greenville, South Carolinabased Bi-Lo, owned by Texasbased investment firm Lone Star Funds, had 206 stores at the time of the merger while Winn-Dixie

had 480.

When the merger was completed in March 2012, the companies announced the headquarters of the combined company would be put in Winn-Dixie’s offices in Jacksonville.

Still, the Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo merger made another deal inevitable. Investment firms like Lone Star generally look to cash out and make a profit down the road after they acquire corporations.

Lone Star did try to cash out when the merged company, renamed Southeastern Grocers, filed plans for an initial public offering in 2013.

However, Southeastern Grocers withdrew the IPO registration in August 2014.

BANKRUPT AGAIN

Southeastern Grocers filed for bankruptcy again in 2018 with a prepackaged Chapter 11 reorganization plan.

The plan to exchange its debt

for equity was preapproved by most of its creditors before the filing and Southeastern Grocers emerged out of bankruptcy in May 2018, two months after filing.

After the equity was distributed to creditors, Lone Star remained a minority stockholder with several other investment firms owning stakes in the company. Again, it was inevitable the firms would look to cash out.

The firms did pursue an IPO but after filing in October 2020, Southeastern Grocers pulled the stock sale off the market days before it was expected in January 2021 and it hasn’t tried for an IPO since then.

That again sparked speculation about a buyout before Aldi announced its agreement to buy the company.

Aldi is buying about 400 stores owned by Southeastern Grocers that operate under the WinnDixie and Harveys Supermarket

a Light Frame Residential & Multi-Family Structural Engr

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(in Jacksonville, FL)

to provide structural analysis & design for low-rise wood, masonry, & steel building structures. Approx 25% domestic travel. Reqs BS in Civil Engring or rltd field.

CV to Christopher Sabourin at saboeng@saboeng.com.

After two bankruptcies, the grocer’s investment firm owners always were on a path to cash out.

THE WINN-DIXIE SALE

grocery banners.

Southeastern Grocers also operates 28 stores under the Fresco y Más banner, which will be sold separately to an investment group.

The company discontinued the Bi-Lo banner in 2020.

As privately owned companies, Aldi and Southeastern Grocers don’t divulge financial data.

Southeastern Grocers’ final IPO filing in January 2021 said the company was the sixth largest conventional supermarket operator in the U.S. and it expected to report 2020 sales of about $8 billion. That would make Southeastern Grocers big enough to be a Fortune 500 company if it reported financial data publicly.

FORTUNE 500 LOSS Jacksonville has lost Fortune 500 companies before, most notably Barnett Banks Inc.

Barnett was founded in Jacksonville in 1877 and was the dominant bank in Florida before it was acquired by NationsBank Corp. (now Bank of America Corp.) in 1998.

Like Winn-Dixie, Barnett was considered an inevitable acquisition target since interstate banking laws opened up in the 1980s and allowed mergers across state lines. Barnett was a coveted target of major national banks because of its strong position in Florida. Bank of America maintains its Florida headquarters in Jacksonville and is a significant company in the area, but its corporate headquarters is in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Aldi has not revealed any specific plans for Jacksonville operations beyond the stores, saying it

FORTUNE 500

Four Jacksonville companies remained on the list of the largest U.S. companies for 2023:

No. 279: CSX Corp.

No. 283: Fidelity National Information Services Inc.

No. 359: Fidelity National Financial Inc.

No. 489: Landstar System Inc.

may convert some Southeastern Grocers locations to Aldi but also may continue operating stores under the Winn-Dixie and Harveys banners.

The company’s news release announcing the buyout agreement said Aldi recently opened a regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Alabama, to serve its Southeast stores.

Southeastern Grocers said in an emailed statement that Aldi informed the company “that they anticipate very few changes at the Store Support Center in Jacksonville following the completion of the transaction.”

But even though a buyout of the company has been inevitable for two decades, it will be a loss for Jacksonville when one of its most significant corporate headquarters disappears.

MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

DEAL REACTION

“The Winn-Dixie brand has a long, rich history in Jacksonville. We look forward to the opportunity to meet with Aldi executives and make the case why they should join FIS, Dun & Bradstreet, CSX and other major corporations whose headquarters are here in Jacksonville.”

Donna Deegan, Jacksonville Mayor

“Recently we’ve seen more than our share of companies relocating headquarters to Jacksonville. We’ve got a great story to tell and we can’t wait to talk to Aldi about coming here.”

Daniel Davis, President and CEO, JAX Chamber

“Winn-Dixie has been an incredible asset to the City of Jacksonville. Whether it was helping find solutions to food desert concerns or fostering community partnerships across our city, Winn-Dixie has always stepped up and I have every faith those same qualities will be inherited as Aldi acquires these locations.”

Ron Salem, Jacksonville City Council President and At-Large, Group 2 representative; President of Salem & Associates, pharmaceutical industry consulting services

“Aldi intends to convert several of the Winn-Dixie stores it’s acquiring into its own format after finalizing the deal. With Aldi’s expansion, more communities will be introduced to its storebrand products and competitive pricing. This move offers fresh options for areas previously unfamiliar with Aldi and is expected to intensify price competition with rivals like Walmart and Publix.”

Albert Loh, Professor of Economics; Director, Local Economic Indicators Project; Associate Dean for Faculty, Administration, and Research; Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida

“This is the end of an era for Jacksonville. While I was privileged to know the Davis family through their philanthropy, one thing that’s assured is that the impact of Winn-Dixie will forever be a part of this community. With more than $121 billion in net sales, I think Aldi is poised to make a significant impact in Jacksonville. I received a call from Team Aldi on Friday (Aug. 18), and they said that any changes (including renaming) would be gradual. I’m optimistic that with their focus on corporate responsibility and sustainability, the company will also work toward helping to eliminate food deserts that impact so many communities. Aldi represents progress and opportunity.”

Rahman Johnson District 14 City Council member; Assistant Professsor, Journalism, Edward Waters University

Southeastern Grocers says ‘business as usual’ amid sale

in Baldwin for almost $100 million as part of a sale-leaseback transaction with Charlotte, North Carolina-based American Realty Capital.

Winn-Dixie developed the 1.2 million-square-foot warehouse campus on 200 acres in 20002001.

BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

Meredith Hurley, Southeastern Grocers Inc. senior director of communications, said Aug. 17 that operations are status quo as the Jacksonville-based company and Aldi prepare for a buyout in the coming year.

And maybe after, to some extent.

“We remain committed to conducting business as usual as we work toward satisfying customary closing conditions, including obtaining regulatory approvals,” she said.

Southeastern Grocers, which is the parent company of the Winn-Dixie supermarket chain, announced an agreement Aug. 16 to sell the company to supermarket operator Aldi.

The companies hope to complete the transaction in the first half of 2024.

“Nothing changes today in our stores and at our Jacksonville Store Support Center, which includes our office at Prominence, the distribution center and our Edgewood facilities.”

Hurley said Aldi has shared “that they anticipate very few changes at the Store Support Center in Jacksonville following the completion of the transaction.”

She said the Westside distribution center also remains.

“We have an agreement in place with C&S to operate our distribution centers, and we anticipate no changes whatsoever as we honor our agreement.”

Privately owned Aldi and Southeastern Grocers did not announce terms of the buyout and did not say what will happen to Southeastern Grocers’ headquarters operation in Jacksonville.

Southeastern Grocers leases a building at Prominence Office Park in the Baymeadows area for its headquarters.

It also uses space at the former Winn-Dixie headquarters along Edgewood Court in West Jacksonville.

And C&S Grocer operates the Baldwin distribution center with signs for Winn-Dixie prominent along Interstate 10.

THE DEAL

Southeastern Grocers said it is selling about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi to Aldi.

Southeastern Grocers also operates 28 stores under the Fresco y Más banner, which will be sold separately to an investment group called Fresco Retail Group LLC.

Aldi said it will convert some of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores to the Aldi brand but continue to operate the rest under the WinnDixie and Harveys banners. It did not say which stores will be converted.

Winn-Dixie began in the 1920s when the Davis family opened a store in Miami and began expanding with other stores.

The company established its headquarters in Jacksonville in 1944 and became Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. in 1955.

Winn-Dixie went through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 2005 and 2006.

In 2012, Winn-Dixie merged with Greenville, South Carolinabased Bi-Lo Holdings to form Southeastern Grocers and based the headquarters in Jacksonville.

Southeastern Grocers went through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 2018, with a group of investment funds taking control of the company.

The company filed plans for an initial public offering in 2020 but pulled the IPO in January 2021, and it has been the subject of buyout rumors since that time.

PROMINENCE PARKWAY

Southeastern Grocers moved the headquarters in 2016 from 5050 Edgewood Court in West Jacksonville to Building 200 in the Prominence office park at Baymeadows Road and I-95.

It moved into a four-story, 160,000-square-foot building at 8928 Prominence Parkway.

At the time of the move almost 800 Jacksonville Store Support Center headquarters employees were part of the Southeastern Grocers relocation from the Westside and from other offices.

Southeastern Grocers said at the time that the move also created more conference space, a state-of-the-art test kitchen, nature paths and more parking.

The workspace is designed as an open environment with no offices but with conference, meeting and other private rooms available as needed.

WEST BEAVER STREET/ BALDWIN

In 2013, after the Bi-Lo merger, Winn-Dixie Properties LLC sold the West Jacksonville distribution center at 15500 W. Beaver St.

★★★★★ CLIENT REVIEW ★★★★★ COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Also in 2013, Bi-Lo Holding LLC, which was what the parent company of Jacksonville-based Bi-Lo Winn-Dixie was called at first, announced that C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc. would provide warehouse, transportation and most procurement services for all Winn-Dixie and BiLo stores by the end of that year.

C&S Wholesale Grocers leases the Baldwin property.

As part of the agreement, employees in Winn-Dixie’s six distribution centers and the functions that support them became employees of C&S.

The company did not announce how many employees would transition to C&S.

Keene, New Hampshire-based C&S had provided the services for Bi-Lo stores since 2005.

C&S supplies more than 7,500 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases and institutions with more than 100,000 products.

EDGEWOOD COURT

Winn-Dixie was long headquartered in West Jacksonville at 5050 Edgewood Court, where it built an 892,000-square-foot office-warehouse complex on 46.6 acres from 1953 to 1999.

Euclid Warehouses Inc. of New York City bought the property from a Winn-Dixie-affiliated property company in 1999.

While 790 associates moved to the Baymeadows headquarters, more than 330 remained at Edgewood Court at what was called the Southeastern Grocers Technology Center.

C&S Wholesale Grocers also leases warehouse space at 5050 Edgewood Court and is hiring for jobs there as well as for the Baldwin distribution center.

Property records show the lease is administered through the Southeastern Grocers office.

KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

Winn-Dixie, Harveys pharmacy files transferring to CVS, Walgreens

Meredith Hurley, Southeastern Grocers senior director of communications and community, says the company has agreed to transfer Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket pharmacy prescription files to CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens stores.

She said that would take place by year-end before the sale of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to Aldi is completed in 2024.

Her statement says:

“Prior to the closing of the proposed merger agreements recently announced, Southeastern Grocers has entered into agreements to transfer prescription files to certain CVS Pharmacies and Walgreens. These agreements will help ensure that our pharmacy customers continue to have access to pharmacy services without interruption. We anticipate that the transfer of these pharmacy files will be completed by the end of 2023.

“While we do not have a definitive date at this time, we can assure you that nothing changes today. We remain committed to protecting the health and wellness of our customers and communities until the transactions are finalized, and our pharmacy customers will be provided sufficient advance notice prior to the transfer.

“We are working closely with CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens to ensure that our customers’ prescriptions are handled carefully and confidentially and that there won’t be any delay in service.”

“I have mediated with Blane McCarthy on several occasions in several areas of the law, and he is always patient, reasonable, and well-versed on the issues presented. Mr. McCarthy works hard to get the parties to an agreement, and even when an agreement has not been reached, I have never left feeling like he did not give it his best efforts.”

- THERESA

CARLI

PONTIERI, JIMERSON BIRR, P.A.

The parent company of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket says Aldi anticipates “very few changes.”

File

The Southeastern Grocers headquarters in Building 200 in Prominence Office Park at Baymeadows Road and Interstate 95.

Market shares: Publix, Walmart dominate

The Shelby Report of the Southeast trade publication provides market shares of states and areas. In June, July and August it reported data for the states where Aldi is buying Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores. Dallas-based Data Axle USA, a data analysis company, provides the information to Shelby. Current store counts are more than those reflected here, indicating the data analysis was before recent stores were opened. These shares reflect the No. 1 store in the state and then those of Winn-Dixie, Aldi and, in Florida, Harveys.

* Southeastern Grocers operates 28 stores under the Fresco y Más banner, which will be sold separately to an investment group called Fresco Retail Group LLC.

** Aldi had several Louisiana stores before a larger expansion this year.

Aldi boosting Southeast market share with Winn-Dixie, Harveys acquisition

The discount chain will see its business boosted the most in Florida, but it still faces grocery powerhouses Walmart and Publix in the five states where it is buying the locations.

BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

Aldi’s proposed acquisition of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket will boost its market share in the Southeast.

It still will be competing for business with the top stores in the markets, especially Walmart and

Publix Super Markets Inc.

In some states, Kroger and Rouses Markets also are strong.

Germany-based Aldi, with U.S. headquarters near Chicago, will add Winn-Dixie and Harveys locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi to its portfolio.

The transaction is expected to

close in the first half of 2024 and is pending regulatory approval.

Southeastern Grocers, the Jacksonville-based parent company of Winn-Dixie and Harveys, announced an agreement Aug. 16 to sell the company to supermarket operator Aldi.

Southeastern Grocers said it is selling about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys supermarkets in the five states.

It has more than 320 WinnDixie, Harveys Supermarket and Fresco y Más stores in Florida, but is selling the 28 Fresco y Mas stores separately to an investment

group called Fresco Retail Group LLC.

Some of the nearly 400 WinnDixie locations Aldi is acquiring will keep the Winn-Dixie branding and traditional store layout.

But Aldi CEO Jason Hart told CNN that Aldi will convert a “significant amount” of Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores to its barebones store format over the coming years.

The Shelby Report of the Southeast trade publication reports market shares. Some of the stores that do not reach a 0.2% share in a state are counted in an “all oth-

ers” category.

That likely is the case in Louisiana.

Aldi had several stores but has been expanding this year in Louisiana, so that total market share was not yet registered.

The market shares from JuneAugust show how Aldi could boost its impact.

Aldi website aldi.us.com says it has 346 stores in the five states, comprising 210 in Florida, 75 in Georgia, 40 in Alabama, 11 in Louisiana and 10 in Mississippi.

KMATHIS@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

The Davis family: A lasting legacy in real estate development, education

The founders of Winn-Dixie and their heirs contribute to health care, education and community development.

BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR

In addition to operating one of the largest grocery store chains in the Southeast and maintaining its headquarters in Jacksonville, the Davis family, controlling shareholders of Winn-Dixie until 2006, contributed to improving health care and education as well as real estate development in Northeast Florida.

J.E. Davis, one of Winn-Dixie’s founders, established a relationship with Jacksonville University in the 1950s.

In 1984, the Davis family gave JU $3 million for construction of a home for the university’s business education programs.

Fourteen years later, the Davises

donated another $20 million to the university, earmarking $10 million to construct the Davis College of Business & Technology building on the Arlington campus.

The Davis family donated almost 400 acres of land along San Pablo Road to bring Mayo Clinic, the Rochester, Minnesotabased research hospital, to Jacksonville.

It opened in 1986 and has since treated more than 600,000 patients from all 50 states and more than 140 countries.

An entity of the Davis family conveyed an additional 210 acres to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville in October 2022 for a North Campus at the San Pablo Road property. That expands its 392-acre medical center property to 602 acres.

In the late 1990s, the Davis family began working with The PARC Group to develop about 25 square miles - 14,000 acres - of land the family owned in south Duval and north St. Johns counties. Up to 9,000 acres remain preserved.

The vision for the project –named Nocatee when the first residents arrived in 2006 – was a master-planned community comprising multiple neighborhoods with homes and apartments, schools, churches, recreation facilities and professional and retail space.

In March 2019, another masterplanned community by The PARC Group on land owned by the Davis family was announced for South Jacksonville.

Called eTown, it includes 1,500 acres for single-family homes, apartments, retail and commercial space and amenities such as paths and parks.

In late 2022 the Davis family sold $109 million worth of property in Northeast Florida for future development.

On Dec. 27, the Davises sold 3,000 acres of Governors Park in Green Cove Springs for $85 million to BTI Partners of Fort Lauderdale.

The developer plans 4,000 homes as well as apartments, commercial and industrial space, hotel rooms and a golf course.

Winn-Dixie: A timeline for a staple in the Southeast

On Dec. 28, the family sold three parcels in St. Johns County for $24.2 million comprising 213 lots in Seabrook Village Phase 1 in Nocatee.

In a Dec. 19 news release, the Davises said they sold the property to developers who have immediate plans for the property.

“Our focus will remain on our current land holdings while we continue to pursue other land opportunities in Northeast Florida,” Jed Davis, president and CEO of DDI, Inc., a Davis family company, said in the release.

And in March 2023, the Jacksonville City Council approved legislation for the Davis family’s plans for a 6,174.21-acre residential and commercial development in Southeast Jacksonville.

The property is north of Nocatee and east of eTown, Sweetwater, Wells Creek, Hampton Park, Florida 9B and U.S. 1.

It is next to the Davis family’s 25,000-acre Dee Dot Ranch.

MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

The company established its headquarters in Jacksonville in 1944 and was named Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. in 1955. Southeastern Grocers Inc., the Jacksonville-based parent company of the Winn-Dixie supermarket chain, announced an agreement Aug. 16 to sell about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to German chain Aldi.

1913: In Burley, Idaho, Carl Davis begins working at the Clark Mercantile, the small local general store; his brother William Milton (W.M.) soon joins him.

1914: W.M. Davis buys the store and renames it the Davis Mercantile.

1925: Heeding the advice of his brother Carl, W.M. Davis decides to move to Florida to open a business. With a $10,000 loan from his father, W.M. purchases the Rockmoor Grocery in Miami. W.M. and sons Artemus Darius (A.D.), James Elsworth (J.E.), Austin and Tine are the store’s stockholders.

1927: The Davis family changes the store’s name to Table Supply and opens four more stores.

1934: After the death of W.M. Davis from pneumonia, the four Davis sons assume responsibilities for Table Supply. Because the family believed W.M.’s death could have been prevented with better medical care, the family begins a relationship with the Mayo Clinic.

1939: Bill Lovett, head of Winn & Lovett, convinces the Davis brothers to acquire 51% of his company’s 73 stores.

1944: The Davis brothers adopt the Winn & Lovett name and choose Jacksonville as the headquarters for their growing network of stores.

1952: Winn & Lovett lists on the New York Stock Exchange, making it the first Florida industrial corporation to do so. The company ticker symbol is WIN.

1955: Through the acquisition of 117 Dixie Home Stores, the Winn & Lovett name is changed to Winn-Dixie Stores Inc.

1967: The company purchases City Markets stores in The Bahamas.

1969: Winn-Dixie operates 715 stores throughout the South.

1977: The St. Petersburg Times names J.E. Davis one of the 10 most powerful men in Florida.

1982: A. Dano Davis, J.E.’s son, takes the helm as president of Winn-Dixie. The next year, R.D. Davis, son of A.D. Davis, assumes the responsibility of vice chairman of the board and became chairman the next year.

1993: J.E. Davis dies at 85. Dano Davis succeeds him as company chairman and principal executive officer. The company continues to acquire stores.

1998: The company launches its website, www.winn-dixie.com. Winn-Dixie stock price hits a peak at $59.38 per share.

1999: Al Rowland becomes president and CEO.

2000: Winn-Dixie announces a major restructuring, closing more than 110 stores and eliminating 11,000 workers.

2000: Winn-Dixie begins converting more than 50 stores in Florida, Georgia and Mississippi to the SaveRite Grocery Warehouse format.

2001: Winn-Dixie hits a peak of 1,153 stores in five southern states and the Bahamas.

2002: Winn-Dixie launches the Customer Reward Card program. It divests its operations in Texas and Oklahoma.

2003: Frank Lazaran is named WinnDixie president and CEO. Winn-Dixie launches its store brand for nearly 3,000 items sold in all 1,073 stores.

2004: Winn-Dixie announces plans to cut 10,000 jobs by closing or selling 156 stores and three distribution centers and selling several manufacturing businesses. Peter Lynch is appointed as president and CEO of Winn-Dixie, becoming its fourth president in six years.

2005: Winn-Dixie files for Chapter 11 banruptcy, ending the Davis family ownership in the company.

2006: Winn-Dixie emerges from Chapter 11 protection. New shares of Winn-Dixie stock begin to trade on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol WINNV.

2007: Despite reorganization, Winn-Dixie remains a Fortune 500 company, ranking 305th with $7.88 billion in revenue in 2006.

2010: Winn-Dixie announces it will close 30 underperforming stores. The closings are part of a cost-cutting plan to save $12 million to $17 million a year. The stores represent 6% of the company’s 514 locations in five states.

2011: Winn-Dixie embarks on a program to “transform” selected stores among the 484 it operates in the five states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. In Northeast Florida, it transforms the store at 2220 County Road 210 in St. Johns County.

2011: Bi-Lo LLC, a grocery store chain based in Greenville, South Carolina, agrees to purchase the Winn-Dixie chain for $560 million.

2013: The company announces an agreement with Delhaize Group to acquire the Harveys banner.

2018: The company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and emerges owned by a group of investment firms.

2020: Southeastern Grocers announces it will discontinue the Bi-Lo brand.

2023: Southeastern Grocers agrees to sell Winn-Dixie and Harveys to Aldi and Fresco y Más to an investment group called Fresco Retail Group LLC.

Source: Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. and media reports

File

The Jacksonville University Davis College of Business & Technology.

Florida Memory

The four Davis brothers, who led Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., through its growth: Tine W. Davis, Artemus Darius (A.D.) Davis, James E. (J.E.) Davis and M. Austin Davis. The image, from the Florida State Archives, is believed to be from the 1960s.

NOTICE of PUBLIC HEARINGS for AMENDMENT of LAND USE to THE

2045 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN For LARGE-SCALE

Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 163.3184 and 163.3187, Florida Statutes and Section 650.406, City of Jacksonville Ordinance Code , public hearings on the proposed amendments have been scheduled as follows:

By Jacksonville Planning Commission Acting as Local Planning Agency (LPA)

Thursday, September 7, 2023 1 p.m.

***Location of Planning Commission Public Hearing: Lynwood Roberts Room, 1st floor 117 West Duval Street

By City Council

Tuesday, September 12, 2023 5 p.m.

By Land Use and Zoning (LUZ) Committee

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 5 p.m.

By City Council

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 5 p.m.

***Location of LUZ Committee and City Council Public Hearings: Council Chambers, 1st floor 117 West Duval Street

If a person decides to appeal any decision made by City Council with respect to the adoption of the proposed amendments, he/ she will need a record of the proceedings and should ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based in order to qualify to participate in administrative proceedings regarding the DEO ’s determination of compliance or non-compliance of this amendment to the 2045 Comprehensive Plan , as adopted, under Chapter 163, Part II, Florida Statutes, that person shall have submitted oral or written objections during local government review and adoption proceedings.

Persons needing special accommodations to attend any hearing noticed shall contact the Legislative Services Division, (904) 630-1404 not less than 48 hours before a hearing or meeting in order to make arrangements.

ORDINANCE 2023-479

AN ORDINANCE TRANSMITTING TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA’S VARIOUS AGENCIES FOR REVIEW, A PROPOSED LARGE SCALE REVISION TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SERIES OF THE 2045 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CHANGE THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM AGRICULTURE (AGR) IN THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AREA TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL (LI) AND CONSERVATION (CSV) IN THE SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT AREA ON APPRO XIMATELY 200.00  ACRES LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 AT 0 ARNOLD ROAD, BETWEEN LANNIE ROAD AND ARNOLD ROAD (R.E. NO. 019608-0050), AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREIN, OWNED BY KATHY L. KITE, INCLUDING A REVISION TO THE DEVELOPMENT AREAS MAP, PURSUANT TO APPLICATION NUMBER L-5825-23A; PROVIDING A DISCLAIMER THAT THE TRANSMITTAL GRANTED HEREIN SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS AN EXEMPTION FROM ANY OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

Persons interested in commenting on these proposed amendments to the 2045 Comprehensive Plan may appear and shall be given an opportunity to speak at the public hearings. The proposed land use amendments, if adopted, will change the permitted uses of these properties and may result in a rezoning of the affected properties. All interested persons are invited and encouraged to review the referenced legislation in this advertisement that indicates the proposed amendments and to appear at the public hearings and be heard regarding the adoption of the proposed amendments. Written comments may be mailed or delivered to the City Council Legislative Services Division, 4 th Floor, City Hall at St. James Building, 117 West Duval Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202 until the day of the public hearing. Copies of the amendments are available for public inspection at the Council Legislative Services Division and at the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department, 214 North Hogan Street, Edward Ball Building, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32202. For additional information call (904) 255 -7888. Please visit www.coj.net for meeting information and more information regarding COVID -19 procedures/ precautions for accessing public buildings.

Attest: Merriane G. Lahmeur Chief of Legislative Services

The Honorable Ronald B. Salem, Pharm. D. Jacksonville City Council President

THE

CITY

OF

JACKSONVILLE INTENDS TO TRAN SMIT ONE (1) LARGE -SCALE AMENDMENT TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP SERIES (FLUMS) OF THE 2045 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SPECIFICALLY, THE ON E (1) PROPOSED AMENDMENT FROM THE 2023A SERIES FILED BY THE OWNERS, THEIR AUTHORIZED AGENTS, OR THE CITY FOR CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF JACKSONVILLE ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE ORDINANCES BELOW.

Aldi: A family business that grew into an international player

ALDI TIMELINE

1913: The family company is founded in Essen, Germany.

BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Though it will be a big change when shoppers first walk into the new Aldi that used to be their favorite Winn-Dixie store, the two grocery chains have a similar beginning.

Both started as small family businesses that grew over the years far beyond their home towns, becoming major players in the retail grocery sector.

Aldi’s story begins in 1913 with a small store in Essen, Germany.

Before they were born, Karl and Theo Albrecht’s mother operated a small grocery store to supplement the income of their father, a miner.

Karl, born in 1920, and Theo, born in 1922, grew up in the grocery business and took over the family store in 1945. They soon opened a second location and five years later, the brothers owned 13 stores.

The business model was to keep prices low by rebating the German government’s value added tax at the point of sale. They also kept the stores small and removed items that didn’t sell from the inventory.

By 1960 the chain had grown to about 300 stores throughout Germany. That’s when Karl and Theo split the business, one taking the northern locations and the other the southern, over their disagreement about whether to sell cigarettes in the stores.

The name “Aldi,” short for

Albrecht-Diskont (Albrecht Discount in English), was adopted in 1962.

The company began international expansion in 1967, when Aldi South acquired a grocery chain in Austria.

Aldi North opened its first stores outside Germany in the Netherlands in 1973 and other countries followed.

America was the brothers’ next territory.

In 1976, Aldi South opened its first store in the U.S. in Iowa City, Iowa, after refurbishing a former Giant Food store. That is the company expanding the Aldi chain.

In 1979, Aldi North acquired the California-based Trader Joe’s grocery store chain.

After the Iron Curtain and Berlin Wall fell and Germany was reunified in 1989, Aldi experienced rapid global expansion.

By the mid-1990s, Aldi South was operating in England and Ireland and the U.S. operation had grown to more than 200 stores in the Midwest.

The brothers retired as CEOs in

1993 and control of the companies was placed in private family foundations.

Combined, the two Aldis operate more than 10,000 stores in 20 countries with about 247,000 employees.

Aldi says it plans to have 2,400 stores in the U.S. by year-end.

MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

1945: Brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht take over their parents’ business.

1948: The expansion to branch operations begins. By the end of the year there are four Albrecht stores.

1961: The Albrecht brothers split the company into two groups, Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord.

1962: Albrecht Discount is shortened to Aldi.

1968: The group of companies buys the Austrian chain Hofer and begins expansion outside of Germany.

1976: The first Aldi opens in the United States.

2023: Aldi agrees to buy Winn-Dixie and Harveys

THE TWO ALDIS

ALDI SÜD

HQ: Mülheim, Germany

Employees: 155,000

ALDI NORD

HQ: Essen, Germany

Employees: 92,000

Aldi Süd

Germany

Austria U.S. U.K.

Ireland

Australia

Slovenia

Switzerland

Hungary

China

Italy

TRADER JOE’S

Aldi Nord

Germany

Belgium

Denmark

France

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Spain

Aldi Nord operates the Trader Joe’s markets in the U.S. There are two in Jacksonville.

Aldi

Before changing the name to “Aldi,” Karl and Theo Albrecht sold liquor as well as groceries in their stores in Germany.

Established in Germany in 1913, the grocer has more than 6,600 stores in 11 countries.

Aldi

When the Albrecht family, founders of what would become Aldi, went into the grocery business in 1913, customers came to the store’s counter and clerks would collect their selections. Self-serve was not introduced until 1958.

File image

The Aldi store in Yulee opened in 2019.

LAW & THE COURTS

BY MAX MARBUT | LEGAL AFFAIRS EDITOR MMARBUT@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

Hogan honored with ABOTA Champion of Justice Award

The prize is for demonstrating an ongoing, strong and exceptional commitment to trial by jury through word and action, the group says.

The American Board of Trial Advocates recognized National Board member Wayne Hogan with the association’s Champion of Justice Award on Aug.19 at the organization’s annual meeting at the Four Seasons Resort in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.

The award recognizes ABOTA members who advance the organization’s purposes of preserving and promoting the civil jury trial.

Recipients demonstrate an ongoing, strong and exceptional commitment to trial by jury through word and action, according to abota.org.

Hogan, a partner at Terrell Hogan in Jacksonville, supported and then doubled the number of students at the Donald J. Weidner Summer for Undergraduates Program at the Florida State University College of Law, ABOTA said.

Established in 1992, the program invites a diverse class of 60 undergraduates from around the country to a four-week course that provides them with insight into the legal profession.

“Wayne is a pillar of his community, an advocate for the rule of law and a steadfast champion of our judicial system and democracy. He well deserves this award and ABOTA is proud to honor him in this way,” Steven Quattlebaum, ABOTA national president, said in a news release.

ABOTA is an invitation-only national association of 7,300 trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the 7th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to civil jury trials.

The organization’s goal is to educate the public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury and ABOTA is dedicated to elevating skills, integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession.

High school essay contest deadline is Sept. 29

The lawyers and judges of the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division announced the start of the 2023 High School Essay Contest commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.

Now in its sixth year, the essay contest is part of the federal court’s community outreach. It is open to students in grades nine through 12 in the counties in the Jacksonville Division: Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Flagler, Hamilton, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee and Union.

The deadline to submit an essay is noon Sept. 29.

“The High School Essay Contest has been an important part of the Court’s community outreach, because our democracy demands knowledgeable and informed citizens,” U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard said in a news release.

Through the Bench Bar Fund, $5,550 in cash prizes will be awarded to the

first- through fourth-place essay winners as well as classroom grants for the teachers of the top three winners and a grant for the school with the most qualifying submissions.

The top 10 students, their family members and teachers, and a representative of the school with the most submissions will be recognized at a ceremony Dec. 6 at the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse.

For contest rules and additional information, including the prompt and how to submit an essay, visit www.flmd. uscourts.gov and click on the “Court in the Community” section.

Brenda Ezell appointed to executive committee

Jacksonville attorney Brenda Ezell was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Real Property Probate & Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar.

Ezell is co-chair of the CLE Coordination Committee that oversees the continuing legal education offerings for the section’s Real Property Division.

She also will serve concurrently as a representative on the Continuing Legal Education Committee for The Florida Bar.

Along with the section’s other committees, the CLE Coordination Committee is responsible for providing continuing legal education seminars to section members at the most reasonable cost possible.

Ezell

The committee also assists real property, probate and trust attorneys in meeting the proficiency, educational and professional/ethical standards necessary to further their practices and careers.

Board-certified in real estate law since 2015, Ezell joined the RPPTL Section Executive Council in 2010. She was chosen for the inaugural class of the RPPTL Section Fellowship Program in 2008.

American Board of Trial Advocates Jacksonville attorney Wayne Hogan, right, accepted the American Board of Trial Advocates Champion of Justice Award from ABOTA National Board member Joshua Whitman on Aug. 19 at the organization’s meeting in Canada.

BY MARK BASCH | CONTRIBUTING WRITER | MBASCH@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

Dewan recalls ‘several offers’ for MPS

July 1 rose 3%, adjusted for foreign exchange rates, to $6.66 billion. Earnings for the year were $3.88 a share, compared with adjusted earnings of $3.47 in fiscal 2022.

It attributed the revenue decline to discontinuation of demand for coronavirus testing facilities.

As Jacksonville-based staffing company GEE Group Inc. held its quarterly conference call Aug. 15, a question prompted CEO Derek Dewan to recall his tenure with another Jacksonville-based staffing company, MPS Group Inc.

Dewan built MPS into a major company that was sold to Adecco Group for $1.3 billion in 2010.

In response to a question about possible offers for GEE Group, which Dewan has run since 2015, he said there is nothing going on but his experience with MPS tells him something could happen down the road.

“I ran a company (MPS) for 17 years and had several offers,” he said.

“And at one point, the offer was too good to be true. And it materialized and it was in the best interest of shareholders, and then we executed that offer and it proved to be the absolute right decision for both the acquirer, the shareholders and for all the employees that continued on with the acquirers,” he said.

MPS was perhaps best known for its Modis subsidiary, which before the Adecco buyout had its name atop the 37-story tower in Downtown Jacksonville that is now the Wells Fargo Center.

MPS agreed to the offer from Zurich, Switzerland-based Adecco in October 2009.

GEE Group has been headquartered in Jacksonville since 2018.

The company reported revenue fell 7% in its third quarter ended June 30 to $38.2 million but earnings tripled to $7.9 million, or 7 cents a share, helped by a tax benefit.

Dewan said it was the eighth straight quarterly profit for GEE Group since a restructuring and debt reduction.

“We feel great about our position in the industry,” he said.

While he said there have been no offers for GEE Group, “as a fiduciary for shareholders, being the chief executive, you have to always look at what’s in the best interest of shareholders.”

GEE Group also announced a cooperation agreement with investment firm Red Oak Partners LLC to add two directors to the company’s board, including Red Oak Managing Member David Sandberg.

Red Oak said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing in May that it intended to nominate two directors for election at GEE Group’s annual meeting.

“Mr. Sandberg is very experienced and will add value to the organization and being our largest shareholder, it’s great representation for the shareholder base,” Dewan said.

“The Board’s addition of two independent directors, including a representative of its largest shareholder, and its commitment to maintaining strong corporate governance are pivotal steps forward in maximizing

value for all shareholders,” Sandberg said in a news release.

Duos Technologies sees Q2 dip, but says it’s on track

Duos Technologies Group Inc. reported lower second-quarter revenue but the company is maintaining its forecast for the full year.

The Jacksonville-based railroad technology company said revenue dropped 51% to $1.77 million, and the company recorded a net loss of $2.99 million, or 42 cents a share.

In an Aug. 14 conference call, CEO Chuck Ferry said Duos remains in a good position with “a clear pathway in the next 12 to 24 months to achieve our strategy and achieve financial profitability.”

One reason for his optimism is U.S. Congress’ consideration of the Rail Safeway Act, which would increase demand for the company’s technology.

“Since the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, six months ago, our commercial inquiries have skyrocketed. My sense is that regardless of whether this bill passes or not, Duos will benefit from the renewed focus on safety across the industry,” Ferry said, according to a company transcript of the conference call.

He also cited increased interest in the use of artificial intelligence.

“The rail industry is certainly implementing AI, throughout its operations. In this regard, Duos has made significant advances in the development of our AI,” Ferry said.

Duos continues to forecast 2023 revenue of $20 million to $21 million, up from $15 million in 2022.

Chief Financial Officer Andrew Murphy said in the conference call he sees revenue

“ramping up significantly in the

fourth quarter and into 2024.”

Yellow Corp. shutdown affects 45 Jacksonville jobs

Yellow Corp., which went out of business July 30, said in a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the state that the shutdown affected 45 jobs in Jacksonville.

The Nashville-based trucking company’s filing said about 22,000 jobs nationally were terminated because of the shutdown.

Yellow reported revenue of $2.3 billion and a net loss of $69.5 million in the first half of 2023 before shutting down.

It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Aug. 6.

Coach parent Tapestry buying Capri Holdings

The parent company of handbag and accessories company Coach is expanding with the acquisition of another luxury fashion group.

Tapestry Inc. announced an $8.5 billion agreement to buy Capri Holdings Ltd., which sells goods under the Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors brands.

New York-based Tapestry’s largest distribution center is a 1.05 million-square-foot facility at the Jacksonville International Tradeport near Jacksonville International Airport.

The Jacksonville facility has remained dedicated to distributing Coach products in North America, even after Tapestry added the Stuart Weitzman brand in 2015 and Kate Spade in 2018.

Tapestry is not saying yet if the Capri acquisition will affect the Jacksonville facility.

The distribution center has 430 Tapestry employees plus 200 temporary employees, which can triple during the peak holiday season, the company said.

On Aug. 17, Tapestry reported sales for the fiscal year ended

Tapestry said in an Aug. 10 news release the addition of Capri will bring annual sales to more than $12 billion.

ParkerVision records another profit

ParkerVision Inc. recorded its second straight quarterly profit despite not having any revenue in the second quarter.

The Jacksonville-based company had net income of $1.4 million, because of a gain related to the estimated fair value of contingent payment obligations.

ParkerVision has no products on the market and is focused on a series of patent infringement lawsuits alleging several large telecommunications product manufacturers are illegally using its wireless technology.

The company received a $25 million settlement agreement in the first quarter, resulting in a net profit of $13.1 million for that quarter.

CEO Jeff Parker said in an Aug. 14 news release the company has a dozen cases against eight companies pending in U.S. Federal Courts.

LFTD Partners sees Q2 revenue off 25%

LFTD Partners Inc. reported second-quarter revenue fell 25% to $12.5 million and earnings dropped 48% to $1.7 million, or 10 cents a share.

Jacksonville-based LFTD’s main business is Kenosha, Wisconsin-based Lifted Made, which manufactures and sells hemp-derived and psychoactive products.

In its quarterly report filed with the SEC, LFTD said its revenue was affected by increased competition from products similar to those manufactured by Lifted Made.

Safe & Green spinoff set for Aug. 30

Safe & Green Holdings Corp. said the record date for the spinoff of its Safe and Green Development Corp. subsidiary into a separate public company is set for Aug. 30.

The company was formerly known as SG Blocks and was headquartered in Jacksonville for a year, but is now based in Miami.

The company’s main business is converting cargo shipping containers into buildings, and it announced its plan to spin off its real estate development company in December 2022.

Safe & Green Holdings moved its headquarters office from Brooklyn, New York, to Jacksonville in January 2022 and announced it was moving again to Miami in January 2023.

The company reported a net loss of $5.6 million, or 37 cents a share, in the second quarter with revenue falling 33% to $5.1 million.

Paysafe benefits from North America internet gambling

London-based payments platform company Paysafe Ltd., which is establishing a North American headquarters in Jacksonville, said its earnings are benefiting from internet gambling in North America.

Paysafe reported secondquarter revenue rose 6% to $402.3 million but adjusted earnings fell 7% to $34.7 million, or 56 cents a share, because of increased interest expense.

“We are pleased with our results through the first half of 2023, including 6% revenue growth and

7% Adjusted EBITDA growth, driven by strong volumes across SMB and e-commerce, particularly North America iGaming, as well as progress in classic digital wallets, where we continue to see improved user engagement,” CEO Bruce Lowthers said in an Aug. 15 news release.

Lowthers

Paysafe is building out its North American headquarters at Town Center Two, the St. Johns Town Center-area office building owned by Dun & Bradstreet Inc.

TTi Logistics gets private equity investment

LongVue Capital announced Aug. 18 an investment partnership with TTi Logistics to recapitalize the business and provide growth capital.

TTi is headquartered in Jacksonville Beach and is a third-party logistics company which serves customers nationally from two Northeast U.S. facilities, New Orleans-based LongVue said in an Aug. 18 news release.

Terms of the deal were not announced.

Logistics buyout involves Jacksonville Beach firm

Another logistics firm partowned by a Jacksonville Beach private equity firm agreed to a buyout deal.

Tennessee-based Forward Air Corp. announced Aug. 10 it agreed to buy Dallas-based Omni Logistics LLC for $150 million in cash and and stock.

Omni Logistics is majority owned by Jacksonville Beachbased EVE Partners LLC and Ridgemont Equity Partners, Forward Air said.

EVE Partners invests in founder-run businesses seeking to grow through acquisitions, and the firm has completed more than 150 transactions since its inception 21 years ago, Forward Air said in a news release.

Now

the CEO for GEE Group, he says the Adecco bid in 2009 was “too good to be true.”

Ferry

DEWAN’S BILLONDOLLAR DEAL

GEE Group CEO Derek Dwan was the leader of MPS Group when it was sold to Adecco Group for $1.3 billion in 2010.

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Top 10 home sales of week

FROM STAFF

Here are the top 10 single-family residential real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Aug. 14-20, 2023.

NASSAU

$3,000,000

112 N. Wolff St., Fernandina Beach

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.87 acre

House size: 2,574 square feet

Buyer: Thomas E. and Ellen

E. King

Seller: Jaye S. and Charles M. Smith Jr.

Previous sale: $600,000 in 2016

About the property: Waterfront single-story home on Egans Creek. Features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and covered dock.

ST. JOHNS

$2,100,000

712 Spinnakers Reach Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach

Type: Spinnakers Reach I

Condominium

Condo size: 2,945 square feet

Buyer: Peter J. and Stephanie A. Ross

Seller: Howard C. Serkin and the Howard C. Serkin Living

Trust

Previous sale: $326,000 in 1995

CLAY

$2,100,000

1939 Silo Oaks Place, Middleburg

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.68 acre

House size: 4,848 square feet

Buyer: Jacob R. Rinkinen

Seller: Kyle Baynes

Previous sale: $2,200,000 in 2022

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ST. JOHNS

$1,800,000

137 Storybrook Point, Ponte Vedra

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.35 acre

House size: 4,059 square feet

Buyer: Hector E. Grillo Seller: Toll Southeast LP Co. Inc.

Previous sale: $350,000 in 2022

ST. JOHNS

$1,700,000

740 Ocean Palm Way, St. Augustine

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.16 acre

House size: 3,076 square feet

Buyer: The 2012 Allen Family

Trust

Seller: Marie L. Inge

Previous sale: $250,000 in

2021

ST. JOHNS

$1,480,000

144 Payasada Oaks Trail, Ponte Vedra Beach

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.28 acre

House size: 3,902 square feet

Buyer: Theodore J.

Szymanski and Lisa E. Smith

Seller: Marc M. and Marjorie

B. Keefer

Previous sale: $875,000 in

2009

DUVAL

$1,475,000

4030 Duval Drive, Jacksonville Beach

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.23 acre

House size: 2,972 square feet

Buyer: John and Abigail

MacIver

Seller: Edward R. and Yael B.

Carlton

Previous sale: $1,600,000 in 2021

ST. JOHNS

$1,400,000

3019 S. Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.39 acre

House size: 1,544 square feet

Buyer: David and Archana

Lamoureux

Seller: US Homes PV WCT LLC

Previous sale: $795,000 in 2020

NASSAU

$1,397,000

95207 Whistling Duck Circle, Fernandina Beach

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.27 acres

House size: 2,998 square feet

Buyer: Carl R. Fraser

Seller: Mark M. and Barbara A. Moger

Previous sale: $822,200 in 2020

ST. JOHNS

$1,375,000

779 Port Charlotte Drive, Ponte Vedra

Type: Single-family

Lot size: 0.36 acre

House size: 3,351 square feet

Buyer: James M. and Paula A. Sahene

Seller: Anthony D. and Rosemarie A. Pece and the Pece Living Trust

Previous sale: $737,400 in 2014