Publix #721 - Alpharetta, GA

Publix #721

Alpharetta Commons

4305 State Bridge Road

Alpharetta, GA 30022-4471

Former A&P Foodmarket #41-107 – A&P's Last Hurrah in Atlanta

I love a store with a good, multi-faceted history; take for example the East Dublin Food World: not only did it have the long history as a Bruno's, but it also continues on as one of eight Homeland outlets in Georgia.  The store we will explore today has a similarly rich history, just without all of the confusing corporate changes that we had to try and wrap our heads around several weeks ago.  

As evidenced by its unusual façade, Publix #721 didn't start its life as a Publix.  You may remember way back when I covered the petite Publix #720, I discussed how the Lakeland-based supermarket assisted The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in exiting Georgia once and for all.  That single nine-store transaction (covering stores #717-#725) gave Publix both its smallest and possibly its largest supermarket.  In fact, #721 may have been the largest Publix to have ever operated from its opening in 1999 all the way until the 49-store Albertsons acquisition in 2008 (I say "may" because this store is within a couple hundred square feet of Publix' own 65N, so I'm not entirely sure which one is larger).  The aforementioned #720 still remains the smallest Publix to this day.  However, before we head up Georgia 400 to the North Atlanta suburbs, let's head back in time for a little history lesson.

I enjoy cooking, but I'm also extremely indecisive when it comes to figuring out what I'm going to eat for the week; long before I found this hobby, I'd still easily spend 30-minutes to an hour wandering around a Publix (or the occasional Kroger), pondering what variety of Calories I would consume that week.  I'm not a fan of squandering money, either, so my purchases would typically include many items found on the weekly BOGO sale (let me tell you, I was shocked the first time I tried to BO—without the GO—in Florida, only to find that I still had to pay full price).

Basically, not much has changed since then, except for the fact that I'll launder in an occasional photo during my Sunday stroll.

Why do I bring this up?  Well, recently I had the pleasure of experiencing an Aprons Cooking class, and today we are going to learn all about the concept!  Considering the fact that I've lived within a reasonable distance of a cooking school for years, I honestly wish I had given one a try years ago.  Alas, I drug my feet until they were held to the fire and spent more time than I should have to secure a spot in the class entitled "Not your average BBQ: Japan".

I'll let that simmer for a bit, but first I want to slice into the fascinating history of how Publix got into the teaching business.

The Tallahassee Democrat (Newspapers.com) - May 25, 1969 - Publix #150 Grand Opening

Much to my surprise, I recently learned that Publix' cooking school escapades date back much further than I originally thought.   The research for my post on former Publix #150 turned up an interesting article describing various grand opening celebrations; one of which being described as, "The uninitiated in Tallahassee will have the opportunity to become acquainted with ProTen beef when Publix and the Tallahassee Democrat cosponsor a cooking school at Leon High School June 10 and 11."

I understand that this served as a long-forgotten one-time experience for the few Tallahasseans who attended; however, the intent behind that first cooking class remained the same with 2001's Aprons Cooking Schools:  teach shoppers how to use new ingredients and in turn sell more groceries.

The Tampa Bay Times (Newspapers.com) - August 14, 2001 (Page 2)

That flame was reignited following the Turn of the Millennium when longtime Publix employee Shelly Carroll was given the title "director of meals" and launched the Aprons sub-brand.  According to an article in The Tampa Bay Times, "Publix' first in-store classroom is part of a new store design that makes its debut Thursday in a supermarket at 7835 Gunn Highway in northwest Hillsboro County.  The Lakeland chain joins Kroger Co. of Cincinnati and H.E. Butt Grocery Co. of San Antonio, Texas, in offering instruction to woo shoppers interested in cooking as a hobby . . .

For foodies willing to pay admission, the experience will mimic a real-life version of New Orleans celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse's TV cooking shows – except diners can buy all the ingredients and the tools to make the dishes at the supermarket before heading home."

If you don't recall, Emeril Lagasse was all the rage back in 2001.  I remember countless evenings when I was sitting in front of our old CRT watching Emeril Live on the Food Network.  He was certainly a cultural phenomenon, and Publix saw an opportunity to capitalize on the craze.

Courtesy Publix (archive.org) - Former Aprons Cooking School Logo

According to Shelly Carroll, "We're offering an entertaining night out for 12 to 30 people with lots of food and wine samples and hands-on participation in the cooking." – probably the most shocking thing about this statement is how I was able to have this exact experience 22 years later!  It isn't often that you come across a concept that can survive unchanged for over two decades, so that's another piece of the Cooking School puzzle that amazes me.

"I know $55 might sound like a lot, but a John Ash meal with wine costs up to $250," Carroll said. "We don't offer a full dinner, but enough samples to fill you up."

In 2023, the standard adult classes ranged from $55 to $75 per person, with the majority of the classes falling at the $60 price point.  According to an online inflation calculator, $55 in 2001 is roughly $95 today, which is surprising considering the highest-priced class has only increased by half that amount.  I'll also note that I walked away from both of my cooking classes with more than enough food:  the first one certainly filled me up, but the second also provided enough food for two more meals!

The Tampa Bay Times (Newspapers.com) - August 22, 2001

As for the cooking school at #754, many of the first classes were taught by relatively famous chefs.  I knew that I recognized Tyler Florence's name from his various Food Network shows, but it clicked one evening as I was taking a shower following a suggestion that I make steak for dinner:  I love to use his steak recipe!  (I'll admit that I've never made the accompanying Bearnaise sauce, but the steak always turns out great and doesn't even require a grill.  Just break out the cast iron pan, sear it on both sides, and finish it off in the oven—et voilà!)

Following his two classes at the Tampa cooking school, it seems that Tyler continued to have a steady career on the Food Network, starring in shows such as Food 911, How to Boil Water, Worst Cooks in America, and The Great Food Truck Race.  A whole host of other chefs were on the roster as well, ranging from nationally acclaimed names to local Tampa Bay favorites.

The article went on to say, "Other cooking schools will follow, depending on the success of the Citrus Park prototype, which also offers event planning.  'It would seem feasible to put one in Miami, Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale,' Carroll says."

In addition to launching Aprons Cooking Schools and Aprons Event Planning, #754 was also the first store to debut Aprons Simple Meals (among other things that I'll reveal later).  All three concepts have since been retired, with Aprons Simple Meals being the first to go back in 2020 (and their counters being silently removed from Publix stores the following year).

Shelly Carroll - LinkedIn

The next silent retirement was that of Shelly Carroll herself.  After close to 30-years at Publix, Shelly retired in March of this year, according to her LinkedIn page: what a coincidence.  A mere four months later, Aprons Cooking Schools served their final demonstrations to pupils across the Southeast, which seems to indicate that the program's creator might have also been its primary advocate.  As sad as it is to see, I'm inclined to say that Publix was content to let the concept fade away following Shelly's departure, and she likely played a role in planning the final classes.

2023 is shaping up to be a big year of "goodbyes" for Publix: first GreenWise Market, then Aprons Catering, and now Aprons Cooking Schools.  While I suppose all good things must come to an end, my experiences with two of the three seem to indicate that there are still plenty of potential business opportunities left in those concepts.  I suppose Publix sees them differently, but I can't say I fault them for trying to remain focused on core profit centers.  I guess POURS bars are the new cooking schools?

Now that I've bored you with the history of Aprons Cooking Schools, let's see why this Publix has one in the first place.

The Atlanta Journal (Newspapers.com) - May 22, 1997

A&P #41-107 held its grand opening on May 22, 1997, and the newspaper ads seemed to directly target Publix, and most specifically, the two-year-old store #515.  "Why Shopping is a Pleasure at the A&P Foodmarket in Alpharetta" seems to mock Publix' longtime "Where Shopping is a Pleasure" slogan, and I'd imagine this store was the ailing chain's last-ditch effort to woo Georgia shoppers in one of Atlanta's fastest growing and most affluent suburbs. 

The Atlanta Journal (Newspapers.com) - May 22, 1997

The only interior pictures of this store I've come across are these four which are featured in the above ad.  I'd guess that the bakery, deli, and seafood departments all remain in the same locations today, but Publix may have moved floral closer to produce while also downsizing the department during this store's Sienna remodel.  The customer service counter sits where I believe floral used to be.

Only two years after this A&P opened its doors, the grocer announced it was exiting Georgia and would sell nine of its stores to Publix.  This particular location didn't seem to take long to convert as it reopened as a Publix on September 2, 1999, just four months after the announcement was made.

Fulton County Board of Assessors - March 3, 2005

Likewise, I'd assume it received a hasty Wavy Pastels remodel that involved little more than a fresh coat of paint and an interior sign swap.  After all, this store was only two-years old when Publix bought it and already seemed to target an upscale clientele.

Courtesy Publix

What's particularly interesting is how this store appears to use the same layout and façade as many other A&P / Superfresh stores up the East Coast.  That goes to show how Publix typically doesn't bother to change the layout in a store it acquires!

The earliest interior shots of this building as a Publix come from this 2008 YouTube video that GeorgiaPubDude uncovered.  Interestingly, this store received the Sans Serif version of Classy Market 1.0, which means it likely underwent its first major remodel around 2006-2007.  The reason it could have been earlier than I'd typically say for the package is because Publix typically waits 5-years between remodels, with this store's Sienna makeover happening in 2011.  

Courtesy Tom E. (Yelp) - November 21, 2011

I'm also inclined to say that this store had a prototype version of SS CM 1.0 based on a bakery trait that is visible in the video, but I'll explain that a bit later.  Regardless, the vinyl flooring we see above was installed by Publix at some point and replaced around 2013, if I had to guess.

Courtesy Tom E. (Yelp) - November 21, 2011

It's really strange to see this mid-remodel picture of the store with CM 1.0-style aisle signs and Sienna paint on the wall . . .

It's also worth noting how the back wall in this shot looks to be the same green used in Sienna's produce departments rather than the brown we'd find back there today.  I guess this remodel involved some trial and error!

Courtesy John Pirtle (Google Maps) - January 20, 2018

But what's even more strange are the aisle signs that replace the ones we see above.  The very early Sienna stores received varying prototypes of aisle signs, and the ones in #721 happened to be fashioned after the typical Invigorate / CM 2.0 style with an added wooden accent.

Courtesy John Pirtle (Google Maps) - January 20, 2018

The aisle numbers were also reversed during the 2011 Sienna remodel, which likely made some shoppers very confused for a few trips. 

Courtesy Tahir Duzyol (Google Maps) - May 8, 2018

Finally, it's also crazy to see the category signs and "Frozen" banners from Bamboo / CM 2.5 used with Sienna, which is even more evidence that the two packages were designed simultaneously, and Sienna was just reserved for upscale stores. 

I think that's enough background information; let's jump inside to see how this store looks now!

State Bridge Road is quite the busy thoroughfare for North Atlanta suburbia, and one which I'm quite familiar with following last year's saga with the nearby Publix #515.  Likewise, I passed this road sign advertising Georgia's largest Publix countless times before I finally settled to stop in.

That fateful day came in June 2022 when I decided to pay this "monster mega" Publix a visit.  Even though A&P never seemed to brand this store as a "SuperFresh", this building was definitely designed with that concept in mind.  I guarantee you that any A&P fan will recognize this façade from the many similar stores in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

It also worked in Publix' favor that this building came with two separate vestibules.  While you can enter through the door closest to us in this shot, the architects undoubtedly intended for shoppers to flock toward the grand gable off in the distance; furthermore, the vestibule we see here simply leads to the checkout lines.

At over two and a half football fields wide and over 65,000 square feet, it is quite the hike from one end of this store to the other.  Maybe this is why I've never seen two sets of recycle bins at any other Publix.

On a different note, an Atlanta news station recently ran an experiment to see whether or not the plastic bags deposited in these bins are actually recycled.  Out of the bags tracked at six stores, three trackers ended up in landfills while three actually went to recycling centers.  One of the landfilled bags was dropped off at a Walmart, while the other two were deposited at two Target stores.  Meanwhile, the three trackers that were left in Publix recycling bins across the Metro all ended up at recycling stations.  At least Publix seems to live up to its promise!

Stepping inside, we're greeted by another Publix anomaly: the infamous green beans without text welcoming us to Publix.

My only guess is that this text could have been added to Sienna after the package was installed in this store . . .

Wow, it's been a long time since I've seen one of these guys!  Publix has mostly eradicated these white-handled Tote shopping carts from stores, but seeing one with the child bench seat attached is a real blast from the past! 

I hope the fact that these child carts have lasted this long means they can survive another few decades (while I couldn't find a date code, I'd imagine these buggies are 15-20 years old).

Dang, what a grand aisle!

This store happens to be large enough to warrant not one, but two banks of checkouts.  Other than in the 61M, this is a surefire calling card for a store that Publix didn't build.  What's even better is that Publix must trust shoppers enough for all of the checkouts over here to be entirely unsupervised self-checkouts—the same can't be said for other parts of Atlanta . . . At least Publix still hasn't resorted to installing security gates in stores like other grocers!

On the other hand, probably the most unique amenity of Publix #721 is the Aprons Cooking School located just to the left of this entrance.  There was a total of 12 Publix cooking schools to have ever existed, 11 of which operated all the way until the concept was scrapped on July 31st of this year.  This happened to be the only location in the state of Georgia and served as the only one outside of Florida for nearly a decade.

Courtesy ** (Google Maps) - April 12, 2018

Interestingly, the school received updated signage during this store's 2019 Sienna refresh, which leads me to believe that the concept wasn't doing too poorly.

I'll also note that the café seating area off to the right was carved out of the vestibule during this store's Sienna remodel.

 

Something else that must not do too poorly is this supermarket in general.  It just so happens that the largest Publix in the state is probably the nicest in the state as well.  Alpharetta is undoubtedly an affluent suburb of Atlanta, so Publix should feel right at home here.  The only thing that takes away from this store's prestige is the fact that it doesn't have a terrazzo floor . . .

 

What it does have, though, is a specialty cheese counter adjacent to the deli.

Wow, the deli looks much larger in this shot than in the previous one!  In addition to the specialty cheeses, the deli also features a salad / hot food bar (which is typically only reserved for the highest performing Publix stores), and a soft drink machine just out of the frame to the left (which I'll circle back to with a story later).

 

Whelp, here's your look at the specialty cheese counter.  I'd be curious to see what one of these looked like 10 years ago, as Publix seems to have really scaled back the concept to only include pre-packaged cheeses.  Additionally, I've seen plans where Publix is actively removing this department during Evergreen remodels.

I'd also like to point out the stainless-steel mosaic inset on the wall behind the counter: a tail-tell (not to be confused with Retail Retell) sign that this store received its Sienna installation before 2016.

To the right of the specialty cheeses, we find the familiar Publix bakery.  I'm going to take a wild guess that this is where A&P had its version of the department as well.

Speaking of the floors, Publix seemed to use a modified form of its famous Albertsons Tetris pattern we've seen so often in the Sunshine State.

Here's our next subtle surprise that I've only seen in Publix #721:  this bakery tile pattern.

Before you call me crazy, hear me out; this tile design looks extremely familiar to anybody who has walked inside a CM 2.x Publix.  The only thing is the two designs are completely different.  As random as it looks, the CM 2.x pattern is actually a repetition of two 5x5 (I think) grids of tiles that end up not being random in the slightest.  The design we see here, however, seems to have no noticeable repetition which leads me to believe it is entirely one of a kind.  

On top of that, the tiles used here are larger than the ones I've seen in other stores while also being different colors.  Other stores use a much deeper shade of blue, with mustard, white, and rust colored tiles forming the "random" accents.  Here, the blue is set off by mustard, rust, and sage green.  I immediately noticed the out of place green tiles when I saw this bakery, which led me to be suspicious of the entire wall thereafter. 

Thanks to the video I shared above, it turns out these tiles are actually from this store's SS CM 1.0 remodel, along with the curved section of ceiling.  I was initially shocked that these traits were that old, but I suppose nothing should surprise me in this store.

 

Those suspicions led to scrupulous scouring of the remainder of the store for further implications of this rare Sienna install; however, the produce department left me essentially fruitless. All that I'm given is a pear pair of outgoing Aprons logos that almost aligned perfectly, and the not-so-common wood-backed produce sign.

Oh yeah, I can't forget about the amazing gabled ceiling and window we have!  You know, I almost have to wonder whether this store design served as a form of inspiration for Publix' 61M.  That prototype made its debut on August 16, 2001, which is two years after this store opened as a Publix and four years after it opened as an A&P.  It's rumored that Publix designers went as far as California to tour upscale stores, such as Von's, for inspiration in the past, so taking design cues from a fancy new A&P in an Atlanta suburb doesn't seem too far out of the question.  I'm just saying, history doesn't happen in a vacuum, and contextual suspicions like this are what I really enjoy about this hobby!

Okay, enough about my hunches—let's burn through more of this "stour".  We'll round the corner of the produce cases to find ourselves promptly in front of the seafood counter.  For some context, this portion of the store reminds me of a mirrored version of a modern 48M or 54M Publix based on how shoppers round the "L" of the produce coolers to find the fresh meat departments. 

Time for another edition of The S.O.B. Points Out More Oddities in This Store!  If you zoom into the picture above, you'll notice that the seafood department also features a unique tile pattern:  a grid of red circular tiles.  Here's another fact:  those are 100% original to this store's Sienna installation!  If you haven't figured it out by now, Publix #721 is one of the six Georgia stores that received Premium Sienna (or Early Sienna, as referenced in this post) which indicates it was in the top echelon of all Publix stores in the 2010-2012 time frame. 

While most Publix stores were remodeling to cheap, funky versions of Classy Market 2.5 / Bamboo, the crème de la crème were getting early access to Sienna.  On top of that, the fact that this store uses a bakery tile pattern I've literally never seen anywhere else leads me to believe it could have been the first Publix in Georgia to receive the long-lived interior package in any form!  I'll just say that this store was able to make waves even without the standard blue seafood tile.

Most Publixes don't receive a dedicated wine desk, let alone a locked wine case!  I really wish I had taken a closer look at the wine displays in the left side of this picture because I wouldn't be entirely surprised if I found a $1400 bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild wine like I saw at the Mountain Brook GreenWise Market.

 

Additionally, I can't think of another Publix I've been to which has a two-aisle wine department setup like this.  I'd have to imagine this was mostly a leftover from A&P, considering the only store I can imagine that remotely comes close is the former Disco Kroger in Buckhead.

 

It's also surprising how Georgia's largest Publix only tops out at 19 aisles, which seems to be the magic number that shall never be crossed (unless you are in a Grocery Palace Publixsons, as AFB reminded me).

We'll take a quick (and slightly blurry) look at the floral department which separates produce from aisle 19 before moving on with our journey.

It looks so strange to see the wine department circle looming over the wide assortment of bleach; I suppose both can cleanse, right?

Poking our heads out of aisle 17, we find a more cohesive image of some of the sights we saw before, along with the Evergreen-style Aprons catering desk (that I believe may go the way of the dodo in the near future).

You may remember me mentioning Publix' bag recycling program earlier (has this tour been going on that long already?), and the company isn't afraid to advertise its efforts with signs like this one throughout stores.

And it seems like this is the section of the post where I rehash random asides I mentioned earlier.  In addition to the plastic bag sign, I also apparently decided to photograph the transition from the red vinyl tiles used around the perimeter of the store to the tan and cream tiles used in the grocery department.  I'm still shocked this store didn't at least receive epoxy terrazzo!

It did receive a lot of pet supplies, though.  I know people will spend all sorts of money on their companions (even if they aren't allowed inside a Publix), and I have a feeling that aisle 15 is home to some very high margins.

On the other hand, those margins probably aren't as high as some found on aisle 14—there has to be a reason Publix still carries so many magazines, books, and diapers!

Unlucky aisle 13 offers a wide variety of health and beauty items, but it is cut short on one side to make way for the pharmacy box.  The placement of the pill pushers in this store may be odd for most Publix stores but isn't entirely unheard of (with the 51T or one-offs like #1010 coming to mind).

I suppose the pharmacy is centrally located in relation to this store's exit and checkout lines; there's just absolutely no hope of this department ever being served by a drive-thru. (Also, take note of the mosaic pharmacy tiles that hail from CM 2.0/2.5 rather than mainstream Sienna).

This pharmacy is original to 1999, but as GeorgiaPubDude pointed out, I'm not sure whether it has always resided here or not. 

The placement of the pharmacy means that aisles 11 & 12 can be only accessed via aisle 13 from the front of the store . . .

. . . which also led to the odd placement of the orchid stock photo taking center stage in the store.  It seems like Publix usually has a bit more wall space to play with when it decides to deploy this pharmacy foliage; alas, the white orchid was placed here in the shadow of one of this store's four pharmacy signs.

Over on aisle 10, we see two more of the pharmacy signs.  I'd like to point out the fact that most of the department signs here are backlit as well.  The Publix Pirate caught onto this when he first visited, which means that some of my training must have rubbed off on my friends!  It's always interesting to see what people who aren't involved in this hobby pick up on once they know to look.

 

We'll see a quick overview of the aisles we just blazed through . . .

. . . along with the "goat soap" display.  I noticed this correlation several years back, but it used to be that any Publix which received a full-on goat statue must be one of the higher-performing locations.  I think #1306 was the first store where I ever saw such, and #721 seems to have continued that trend.

As I was about to take a picture of the meat department, an employee asked me if I needed help finding anything.  I said no, but then I had to wait for here to leave to get my shot; I hate when employees are so helpful like that!

The next item on our specialty Sienna scavenger hunt is the striated muscle meat department tile.  Again, this tile pattern can only be found in new-construction Sienna stores that opened before 2016 or Sienna remodels that happened before roughly 2013.

Let's meander through a few more grocery aisles before exploring our next (not so) hot topic.  Here's a nice look at aisle 8 . . .

. . . followed by a shot of aisle 7 . . .

. . . and finally, aisle 6.

We'll skip over aisle 5 & 4 to instead focus on the frozen foods department and its mustard-colored freezers.

Wait, what?!  This store's frozen foods banners survived this store's 2019 Sienna refresh?!  After photographing over 100 Publixes (and visiting many more), I can easily say that I've never seen these accents paired with Sienna.  The fact that they slipped by the 2019 refresh crew shocks me, but they honestly fit right in with the package.  I guess that goes to show how cohesive Publix' design language was for close to a decade and a half!

Peering down aisle 3, we find ice cream and bread waiting patiently to grab shoppers' attention.

What got my attention was Publix' display of seasonal ice cream flavors.  I can't say whether any of these are good or not, but I just love the packaging design!

Over on aisle 2, we find more frozen foods and more banners.  I guess Publix decided to tone down the signs here compared to what I've seen in other stores.

Finally, aisle 1 rounds out the right side of the store with dairy and more frozen items.  Something about this layout reminds me of a Grocery Palace Albertsons . . .

One more picture of the Sienna frozen banners, for posterity's sake!

Popping out of the front of aisle 1, we find greeting cards in the front right corner of the store along with some windows from second story offices.

The main restrooms are also in this corner, but thankfully, there is another set of "family" restrooms way down yonder on the other end of the store.

Other than the cheesy folding table with clearance items in the middle, I really like how this shot turned out.  It certainly seems to capture the essence of Sienna in this store.

Back toward the checkouts, we find the unusually large seasonal products area which lies between the grocery aisles and the Instacart staging area.

This Publix originally had a SunTrust bank branch and the customer service counter along the wall between the two entrances, but these seem to have moved / been removed during the initial Sienna remodel.

Looking back over the seasonal department, we can see the area to the right which used to house this store's Little Clinic.  Again, I'm not sure when that feature was kicked to the curb, and whether this corner was originally home to the store's photo lab.

The final thing I noticed as I was checking out is how this store still uses relatively old models of conveyor belts.  I remember Publix started installing the curvy ones we see in most places 10-15 years ago, so it's possible that these are original to the store.  I still think these are slightly newer than the ones with the white "lane closed" signs that slide out (which can sort of be seen in this picture from #172).

I'm honestly surprised that these stuck around considering this store had self-checkout units installed way back in 2011.

That will wrap up this shopping trip to our second Great Atlanta & Publix Tea Company store, but it won't wrap up this post.  Keep on reading for a special edition of Cooking with the S.O.B. because, as Jason Mraz said while I was leaving this store, "I want you to have it all".

Courtesy Publix

It was one summer day while I was scrolling through Reddit, when I noticed a post that stated Publix was planning to close all of its Aprons Cooking Schools.  I was initially surprised by the news, but then panicked at the thought that I had procrastinated too long and may never get to experience a class.

Well, I soon recollected my thoughts, and figured out how I could squeeze in a trip to a cooking class before they were all gone.

The cooking school that happened to make the cut was the one at Publix #721, which means we'll get to experience an in-depth tour of this now-extinct feature.

Publix wasn't afraid to advertise the cooking school with directional signage hanging just over shoppers' heads as they entered the grand aisle, and even updated this sign as part of the store's 2019 Sienna refresh.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Newspapers.com) - May 27, 2007

This particular cooking school first opened its doors in June 2007, with a class featuring Chef Paul Prudhomme on June 1st, followed by a class taught by Paula Deen the following month.  Can you imagine going to a cooking class taught by Paula Deen?!  I hope they had plenty of butter in that fridge; she even has her own recipe for butter cake!

 

Fast forward to 2023, and we find the cooking school in the same spot where Paula was 16-years ago.  If I had to guess, I'd say this amenity opened as one of the final pieces of this store's CM 1.0 remodel.

From the outside in, the space almost looks like a kitchen off of The Food Network, complete with TV screens mounted above the island showing onlookers different angles of the stovetop and prep space.

Well, what do you say; should we head inside?

I suppose the Reddit post was in fact correct—this cooking school was scheduled to serve its final class on July 31st.

At least none of that mattered—the Publix Pirate and I were still able to secure our seats and enjoy a nice pretzel chip covered cheese ball with some Public-branded crackers while we waited on our instructors.

To get the class started, one of the chefs said, "let's turn down the music—look at how this knob on the wall is conveniently labeled 'Muzak'."  Now the question is whether Publix still subscribes to the Muzak service or whether that is another term that has gone the way of the Kleenex.

I believe the class I went to had a total of twelve pupils (or twenty-eight, depending on who is counting), all of whom gathered around the island to watch and assist with the meal preparation.  

My first task of the evening was to run out to the soft drink machine next to the deli (mentioned earlier) and grab "the largest container I could find and fill it with ice".  I have to say that it is a strange experience to grab a drink cup from the deli and walk off without checking out!  That ice was used to chill the quail eggs, seen above, following their heated experience amidst rapidly bubbling vinegar water.

Next up, (or at least the next step I photographed) was to prepare the salmon.  I didn't directly take part in that effort, but I did manage to pick up on some interesting tidbits from the conversation in the room.

The first thing I learned is what the instructors were planning to do come August.  The younger chef said he had recently moved from the Richmond, VA, cooking school and was sad that Publix was killing off the concept (but at least he managed to still get Publix to pay for his move).  He didn't specifically say what he was planning to do next, so I'd assume he took a job with a different company.  The older chef said he had too much invested to leave Publix (like stock options) and was planning to move to the bakery.

We then went on to ask if they knew why the cooking schools were closing, and one of the chefs mentioned that the schools did well financially (or at least did the numbers expected of them), but corporate never said exactly why they were closing.  The chefs theorized that it may be since "Shelly" (Shelly Carroll - former director of meals for Publix) stepped down and she was the one who had spearheaded the schools to start with.  I'd have to agree with this theory.

They also stated that the head chefs are keeping their jobs and will continue to teach online cooking classes.

What still confuses me is the fact that Publix resumed operation of the cooking schools following COVID, only to scrap the concept two years later.  The chef said that during that time, all of the cooking instructors transitioned to standard grocery jobs.  He ended up stocking shelves, and said it was fascinating to watch how many people aimlessly wandered around the aisles of the store with the appearance that they had never stepped foot in a grocery store before (because they had previously eaten out for every meal).  His biggest pet peeve, however, was that he was tired of everybody buying up all of the flower and yeast—"just buy your own bread!" he said.

Thankfully, I never attempted to make my own bread during The Pandemic, but I did pick up other bizarre hobbies, such as photographing and documenting grocery stores . . .

Anyway, back to the class.  One of my next tasks was to prepare several green onions for the Asian potato salad, where I learned how to properly slice (rock the knife back and forth) rather than chop (picking it up and down).  I also learned that garlic should not be the first thing you put in a pan or else it will burn due to its high sugar content (that's why it's sticky when you cut it).  

I went on to learn that there are three basic chopping shapes:  the plank, the strip, and the dice.  You start by making a plank (ex, with a potato), then you cut the plank into strips, then you follow by dicing the strips.  My mind was blown.

It was especially interesting to watch Lloyd slice an onion:  he cut the stem and root off (and made sure to not cut all the way through either to start peeling off the skin), then he sliced the onion in half.  From there, he went around the onion radially to easily slice it in strips.  After leaving this class, I realized that I should have signed up for the knife skills course too!

Us students continued to be amazed by the chef's chopping skills as we took turns preparing different portions of the meal.  I'll just say that there was never a dull moment!

Once the last veggies had been sliced (in order to prevent a lawsuit from somebody chopping their finger off) and the grub was nearly finished, everybody had the opportunity to sip a glass of wine with their meal.

Courtesy Kat Rey (Google Maps) - June 1, 2018

While the backsplash behind the wine looks like something straight out of the Sienna tile guide I found several years ago, it, too, only dates back to this store's 2019 Sienna refresh.  Thanks to Google Maps, we can see that this room still sported its original 2007 look up until the store's most recent remodel.  I'll say that the remodel brought a much-needed update to the space!

I opted for a glass of La Crema Pino Gris to sip on, while others wanted to be adventuresome and try the Butter Chardonnay (Paula's favorite) or the sweet plum wine.

I'm not typically a wine drinker, but I figured, "Why not; when in Publix!"

Our first dish to sample was grilled salmon with ginger pickled quail eggs and hoisin rice bowl.  I'd say that the rice was probably my favorite part of the meal!

The girl who cooked the salmon was talking about how much she liked it, and I said "Is that just because you made it?  I wonder if you'd still like it so much if your dad made it!"  That got a chuckle out of everybody, then her dad said, "oh yeah, how do you like my salmon," and I responded that she would say "I've had better at Publix"—that made everybody crack up!  I doubt the conversation comes across as funny here since none of y'all were there, but I'd still like to remember it as I'm reminiscing 10-years down the line.

Another thing that I thought was odd about the classroom is how it felt like we were looking out over a zoo exhibit through the glass windows.  The fact that there was an entire Publix store just outside seemed very bizarre, on top of the fact that most shoppers didn't even pay attention to the class that was occurring only a few feet away.

Following the salmon, we then jumped up(stream) to serve a plate of the remaining dishes.  Pictured here, we see the spicy bean sprout salad, green bean gomaae, Japanese-style potato salad, and spicy beef yakitori skewers with ponzu glaze.

I really enjoyed the entire experience, including eating what I had made at the end.  I'd say the bean sprouts were probably my least favorite dish out of everything, but they still were not bad. 

I also wasn't the only person documenting our class:  one girl was filming Tic-Toks for her "a day in the life" (I would have called it "a Day in Z life", but they never asked my opinion) video for her sorority at Clemson.  She would narrate whenever she'd receive each dish, and she noticed twice that ingredients were left out of the presentation (namely the pickled quail eggs with the salmon and the peanuts and potato salad with the main dish).  Pictured above are the pickled quail eggs, which essentially tasted like a boiled chicken egg with a subtle ginger flavor.

Anyway, that will conclude what I thought would be my first and last adventure at an Aprons Cooking School, but I made sure to attempt to photograph the old Aprons logo etched in the glass before I left.

Oh yeah, and I can't forget about the 20% discount every student received after attending the class.  This only applied to the housewares located just outside the classroom, but I feel like fancy items such as Kitchen Aid stand up mixers aren't typically discounted, much less sold in a Publix.

On top of the 20% discount, all of the Aprons housewares were on clearance for an additional 50% off since the school was closing.  Many of the products had been picked over, but I still managed to get a few utensils for a good price. 

Overall, I'd say that was one of the most fun trips I've had to a Publix, and I'd certainly recommend the classes to others (if only they had not been discontinued).  That's also in the running for the most time I've spent inside a Publix, with the other contender being a different adventure with The Publix Pirate last year.

I figured I'd close out this post with some nighttime shots of the store that I captured following my meal.  While the cooking school may be dead, at least this unique store will continue to serve the shoppers of Alpharetta for years to come.

As for the road sign, it really bothers me how they put a "•" before Cooking School even though it was on a different line from "Food" and "Pharmacy".  Oh well, I'm sure that sign is long gone by now!

Our parting shot for today will be a daytime perspective of the same sign, taken during one of my many journeys to #515.

I hope you enjoyed this store as much as I did, and be sure to stay tuned for a special post that should go live in the next few days discussing some recent news . . .

Until then,

- The Sing Oil Blogger