WLRN to look into the history of how scales, which seem more like a relic of a bygone era, became part of the Publix mythos.
Here’s what we found:
‘Marble Palace’
In 1940, George Jenkins opened the first Publix supermarket in Winter Haven. Built of marble glass and stucco, the first store was called the “marble palace†and had some major innovations, like air conditioning and automatic electric doors.
“Things we take for granted today. Can you imagine shopping with no air?†said Jennifer Bush, Publix’s historian.
Jenkins also added another convenience to his store – the scale. Household scales weren’t common at the time. Small shop owners and businesses offered big scales called “people weighers†outside their stores and charged people to use them.
“It was like a vending machine, a money maker for them,†Bush said.
Jenkins incorporated a people weigher into his new store but placed it inside his store rather than outside like most of his competition did. And the one at Publix was free to use.
“His idea was hoping that when they walked in the doors, they would smell these fresh donuts, see the beautiful colors, and feel the cool air,†Bush said.
Over time, more stores got the scales, which were then eventually moved to the front of the store.
http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/have-you-ever-wondered-why-publix-stores-have-scales-heres-answer
