Grocery chain expected to evict some Prospect small businesses

PROSPECT, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new Publix grocery store is coming to Prospect Point, but several longtime businesses said the development could leave them with no choice but to move or close their doors for good.

While Publix has yet to publicly confirm plans for the site, and Prospect city officials are staying tight-lipped, multiple tenants in the strip mall said they've been told to vacate — some as early as November.

"It's been the talk of the town for years," said James Mike, butcher-in-training at Butchers Best. "But we weren't exactly sure when everything was going to go down."

Butchers Best has been a staple in Prospect for years. Mike works alongside his father, who opened the butcher shop after borrowing $250,000 to launch the business.

"This was his birth child," Mike said. "He's been cutting meat for years and years before he decided to open the business."

The shop's lease was expected to run through 2028, but the Mikes said they were contacted by a representative tied to Publix about a month ago — and told they would need to leave by early November.

"We don't know what we're going to do," Mike said. "There's so much stuff here — and thousands of dollars in food. You can't just open anywhere. Moving is almost a death sentence for a lot of small businesses."

Mike said Butchers Best is actively searching for a new location but said finding something on such short notice has proven difficult.

"The process alone is going to cost money," he said. "And that time you spend moving is time you could be making money. So the money you're not making is technically money you're losing."

He also said the relocation would break the business' connection to its loyal customer base.

"People know our name. They know us," he said. "You move, and it's like starting over. No one wants to see us go."

Evergreen Liquors, an anchor in the strip mall, is already in the process of relocating. The store is constructing a brand-new building nearby, with plans to open before Thanksgiving.

"This is our No. 1 wine store in the entire chain," said Mike Fisk, CEO of Cox's and Evergreen Liquors. "Prospect is too important for us to just close up shop."

Fisk said Evergreen has tried for five years to extend its lease but was told the property was under contract and no extensions could be made.

"We've heard rumors of Publix for probably two to three years now," he said. "Obviously, they're a competitor of ours in the liquor space, so they weren't going to let us stay anyway."

Despite reaching out to property owners and management repeatedly, Fisk said they never received direct communication from Publix or confirmation about the development.

"We've been told there's no news, no updates," he said. "It's been frustrating."

Still, Evergreen's new building — near the Gustavo's Mexican Grill — will include its usual tasting bar, walk-in humidor, and full wine and liquor selection.

"We have no intention of leaving Prospect," Fisk said. "The best is yet to come."

Some customers, like Bryan Davey, said Monday they're disappointed to see changes coming to a shopping center that's been a part of their lives for decades.

"I've lived in this area almost 40 years," Davey said. "We use just about every business in this strip — the post office, the hardware store, the butcher shop, the liquor store."

Davey said he's not sure whether he'll shop at Publix once it opens, noting that big chains can't replace the experience of walking into a store where everyone knows your name.

"It's like family for us," he said. "Jimmy's got to find a place to go. We're going to follow them. So that's really what we're going to do."

The Prospect post office has already moved into a temporary trailer nearby.

The team at Butchers Best said they're willing to move but need more time and a realistic offer to make it happen.

"We're not going to let ourselves be pushed around," Mike said. "But we will listen to reasonable offers — as long as we can reopen somewhere nearby."

Neither Publix or Prospect city officials responded to requests for comment Monday, and city leaders have said they were asked not to speak publicly about the project.

While there's no official groundbreaking date, several tenants said they've already been told to be out by this fall — whether they're ready or not.

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