A day many Bulloch County residents were never sure would arrive is now only a day away.

Publix Super Markets will open its Statesboro store at 7 a.m. Wednesday in Eagles Corner Shopping Center at the corner of Tormenta Way and Old Register Road, just off Veterans Memorial Parkway.

The 48,387-square-foot supermarket with a pharmacy is the centerpiece of Eagles Corner. Publix began hiring in September for the new Statesboro location, store #1733, and is expected to employ 150 to 200 people.

The design of the store, revealed by company officials at the May 2021 groundbreaking, is a relatively new type for Publix, with a mezzanine inside and balcony opening to the outside.

In addition to Publix, the 66,000-square-foot Eagles Corner Shopping Center will include about 18,000 square feet of space to be occupied by other businesses. Three outparcels each measuring an acre or more were also available. But not all of the supermarket tenants and outlying businesses are opening with Publix.

As previously reported, a Huey Magoo’s Chicken Tenders restaurant and Tidal Wave Auto Spa’s second Statesboro location eventually will occupy two of the corners in the center.

Also, six other businesses are scheduled to open within the shopping center: Grand Nail Lounge, Orangetheory Fitness, Tropical Smoothie, Great Clips, Lendmark Financial and Stella Boutique.