One year later: What’s the status of Hitchcock’s Markets’ 10 former stores?

October will mark one year since Hitchcock’s Markets sold all 10 of its locations across North Central Florida, ending an 80-year legacy of the Alachua-based, family-owned and operated grocer.  

Some stores have been renovated and reopened under new brands, including Winn-Dixie and Bravo Supermarket, while others recently closed to the public and are still awaiting buyers. 

As Winn-Dixie adds stores through its Florida-focused expansion, some existing Winn-Dixie locations are also set to convert to Aldi. 

So, what’s the status of each store and what new ones are coming? 

Home to the former Hitchcock’s Markets headquarters, near “Bob Hitchcock’s Main Street,” named for the store’s founder, the Alachua grocery will celebrate a long-awaited grand opening as Winn-Dixie on Oct. 3 after months of renovations.  

But the opening is technically just a move down the road. At the end of October, Winn-Dixie in High Springs will close and relocate into the Alachua storefront, according to Winn-Dixie customer service associate Liam Harris.   

On Oct. 1, Harris said the High Springs Winn-Dixie store hours will change from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. as staff split, with half staying at the High Springs store until it closes and the other half moving into Alachua’s Winn-Dixie. 

Harris said the High Springs store will become Aldi, but there’s not a timeline for that transition yet. The Melrose Winn-Dixie converted into Aldi and opened in August. 

“We’re split 50-50,” Harris said. “We’re trying to figure out scheduling, but we’re excited.” 

The regional chain also purchased the Keystone Heights and Williston Hitchcock’s. Winn-Dixie opened in Keystone Heights on Aug. 15 and in Williston in December 2025. 

Newberry’s Hitchcock’s began transitioning into Bravo Supermarket in September 2025 and officially opened soon after. The store retained Hitchcock’s employees and has a 4.2-star rating on Google. Bravo operates nearly 100 locations across the U.S. 

Hitchcock’s closed its Hawthorne store at the end of August after holding sales to clear out inventory. Unsold food was donated to the Hawthorne Area Resource Center’s food pantry. 

During its Sept. 9 meeting, the City Commission recognized Hitchcock’s employees Eric Roberts, Gisella Moncayo and Crystal Cassels for the donations and for ensuring no food was wasted. 

The Hawthorne store doesn’t have a buyer yet, along with the East Palatka Hitchcock’s, which manager Doug Story said is the last of the 10 locations still open. 

Story said his store had been up for sale for almost two years. Five or six offers from independent buyers came up during that time, but all have fallen through.  

Story said Hitchcock’s in Indiantown had been sold to New Jersey-based Key Foods, while regional Save A Lot owners and brothers, Mike, Mark and Josh Boris, bought the stores in Interlachen, Jasper and Trenton. 

Some residents of rural towns depended on Hitchcock’s as their sole grocer and are concerned about not having another store nearby. Anyone in Hawthorne who doesn’t want to shop at Dollar General will have to commute 16 miles to Gainesville or Keystone Heights for food.