A True Hero Origin Story: The Publix Scale
If you’ve ever stepped foot inside of a Publix grocery store, then you have seen the oversized green scale at the front of the store.
You may have stepped on it. You may or not have liked what the scale said. You may have told the manager that you think it’s broken. He may have assured you that it’s not. You may have gone home and considered exercise and a diet and cried all night. But have you ever wondered why every single Publix has one of these?
One man, Chris Barr, decided to do some investigating into the origin of this green behemoth.
Scales were not a common household item in the 1930s. So grocery stores and small shops would set up “people weighers” outside of their stores and would charge people to use them.
George Jenkins, the founder of Publix, saw an opportunity to get people to come into his store. He took the scale and put it inside making it free to the public.
Jennifer Bush, Publix’s historian said, “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.”
So is the scale the key to Publix’s success? Or is it the chicken tender subs? You be the judge.
