Publix Plans 50,000 Square Foot Store in Matthews Mixed-Use Development

A new Publix store will open in Matthews, North Carolina. The 50,000-square-foot market will be part of Cadia Matthews, an 82-acre site built for healthy living. Work will start in the summer of 2026.

The store will add 150 jobs to the area. Tom Walsh of Pappas Properties said, according to CityBiz, that customers will find a full-service pharmacy with drive-thru service.

This move shows Publix's push into Charlotte's $10.4 billion food market. The chain from Florida now ranks fourth, after Walmart, Harris Teeter, and Food Lion.

The Cadia Matthews site sits where Stallings meets Idlewild Road. Plans call for 570 homes: a mix of houses, townhomes, and apartments. Shops will take up 85,000 square feet, while offices will fill 18,000 square feet.

David Weekley started building homes in the fall of 2024. People who live there will find paths for walking and biking. A park with a stage sits at the heart of it all.

"Having a Publix within a golf cart ride or walking distance of my home makes a meaningful difference for those of us who live nearby," said Leroy Flowers, a Matthews resident, per CityBiz.

Since its first NC store opened in Ballantyne back in 2014, Publix has grown fast. Now it runs 27 stores near Charlotte, part of its 1,400 stores across eight states.

Two new stores opened in 2024: one at Quail Commons down south, another at Clear Creek Crossings on Albemarle Road. More stores will pop up at The Arboretum, the 10 Tryon building downtown, South Park, and Wesley Chapel.

Charlotte's food stores keep growing, now at 729 total. Next year brings Wegmans to Ballantyne. Harris Teeter plans two York County stores for 2027. Trader Joe's will soon build in Matthews, too.