This development marks a significant milestone in addressing an issue that has plagued the area for decades: the lack of accessible fresh food options.

ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined community leaders to celebrate the long-awaited opening of a Publix grocery store in the Summerhill neighborhood.

Situated across the street from the former Turner Field, which is now under the ownership of Georgia State University, this development marks a significant milestone in addressing an issue that has plagued the area for decades: the lack of accessible fresh food options.

The decades-old promise to tackle the problem of food accessibility is finally being fulfilled with the establishment of the new Summerhill Station, featuring the 50,000-square-foot Publix grocery store.

For years, the community suffered from blight, crime and neglect, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration categorizing the area as a food desert.

A food desert is an area where residents lack convenient access to fresh and healthy food options. Atlanta city leaders have been diligently working to address this problem throughout the city, and the opening of the Publix in Summerhill marks a significant milestone in eliminating this issue in the neighborhood.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Georgia ranks sixth in the nation when it comes to the share of low-income areas that face a lack of access to fresh food. Recognizing this alarming statistic, the city of Atlanta made a commitment to tackle food deserts head-on and spearheaded this development to bring much-needed grocery options to the Summerhill community.

The announcement of the Publix opening was made back in 2021, and after months of anticipation, the 50,000-square-foot store now sits on a four-acre lot within a shopping center that will house various other shops, including an urgent care facility. 

A grand ribbon-cutting ceremony happened at 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

Long-awaited Publix opens in Atlanta's Summerhill neighborhood