{"id":375855,"date":"2026-08-19T19:14:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T19:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/375855\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T19:14:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T19:14:51","slug":"the-jaxson-warehouses-of-history-jacksonville-then-and-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/375855\/","title":{"rendered":"THE JAXSON | Warehouses of history: Jacksonville then and now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jacksonville\u2019s historic warehouses and industrial buildings tell the story of a city shaped by railroads, shipping, manufacturing and commerce. From coffee roasting plants and wholesale grocery warehouses to bottling operations and distribution centers, these buildings once formed the backbone of Jacksonville\u2019s working economy.<\/p>\n

Some continue to serve industrial purposes, while others have been adapted for offices, apartments and small businesses, or simply await their next chapter. Through historic and present-day photographs, this collection explores how these landmarks have changed while preserving visible connections to Jacksonville\u2019s industrial past.<\/p>\n

A & P Southeastern Headquarters<\/p>\n

1775 W. Beaver St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/A&P\u2019s bakery building was completed in 1932. It was replaced in 2000 with a larger warehouse for BSF that occupies a similar footprint. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

Once the world\u2019s largest retailer, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. established a major Southeastern operations center along West Beaver Street. A&P opened its Eight O\u2019Clock Coffee roasting plant here in 1925 and added an industrial bakery in 1932. The sprawling complex remained an important Jacksonville food-production and distribution center until A&P began relocating operations in 1968; the coffee plant continued until 1990. During the 1980s, Beaver Street Fisheries, now BSF, acquired much of the former A&P complex, continuing the property\u2019s long association with Jacksonville\u2019s food industry.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/A 1920s-era warehouse on the BSF property was occupied by the Public Quick Freezing & Cold Storage Co. during the 1950s. It was constructed for the Reid Brothers. This structure is currently not used, due to it being functionally obsolete for today\u2019s needs. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The BSF plant on West Beaver Street today.<\/p>\n

Clark & Lewis Company Wholesale Grocers<\/p>\n

2481 Dennis St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Clark & Lewis Company warehouse on Dennis Street. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

In 1947, Clark & Lewis Co. relocated its wholesale grocery operations to Dennis Street, adding to the concentration of food distributors, warehouses and industrial businesses operating in this section of Jacksonville. The move reflected the area\u2019s growing importance as a center for wholesale commerce during the postwar era, when proximity to rail lines and major transportation routes made the district an attractive location for distribution companies. Today, the former Clark & Lewis property is owned by Global Impex Jax, continuing the building\u2019s longstanding association with commercial and distribution uses.<\/p>\n

Groover-Stewart Drug Co.<\/p>\n

25 N. Market St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Groover-Stewart Drug Co. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

Established by Flavius Christie and Frank Groover in 1900, the Groover-Stewart Drug Co. grew into Florida\u2019s largest wholesale drug company. To accommodate its expanding operations, the company constructed this reinforced-concrete office and warehouse building on North Market Street in 1925. Recognizing its architectural and commercial significance, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The former warehouse has since been rehabilitated as Expansive Workspace, transforming a building designed for wholesale distribution into modern offices, suites and conference spaces.<\/p>\n

H.J. Heinz Co.<\/p>\n

57 Cantee St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The H.J. Heinz Co. at the intersection of Dennis and Cantee streets. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

In 1948, H.J. Heinz Co. opened this 13,000-square-foot warehouse, office and shipping facility at Dennis and Cantee streets. Designed by prominent Jacksonville architects Marsh & Saxelbye and constructed by Gillespie Construction Co., the facility distributed Heinz products throughout nearly all of Florida outside Miami. It replaced the company\u2019s earlier Jacksonville warehouse in LaVilla. Today, the former Heinz facility remains connected to food production as the home of Sunshine Peanut Co., Florida\u2019s only peanut-butter manufacturer, which produces peanut butter for the Florida Department of Corrections.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Sunshine Peanut Co.<\/p>\n

Maxwell House Coffee<\/p>\n

735 E. Bay St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/Designed by architect Roy Benjamin, Maxwell House\u2019s five story coffee roasting plant was built in 1924 by the Turner Construction Company. This plant replaced the smaller, original plant that was located on the south side of East Bay Street near the mouth of Hogans Creek. | Ritz Theatre & Museum.<\/p>\n

Jacksonville\u2019s connection to Maxwell House began in 1910, when the Cheek-Neal Coffee Co. established a roasting plant along East Bay Street, where coffee beans could arrive by barge. Needing additional space, the company opened its five-story plant at 735 E. Bay St. in 1924. The complex eventually expanded to roughly 400,000 square feet. When closure threatened the plant in 1990, Jacksonville rallied behind the \u201cKeep Max in Jax\u201d campaign. The plant survived and remains an active round-the-clock coffee-roasting operation, producing Maxwell House and other coffee brands while employing nearly 200 workers.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/This warehouse at 835 E. Bay St. was recently demolished by Maxwell House. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

\"\"\/This 4-story warehouse was built for the Laney & Delcher Storage Co. in 1926. Located at 659 E. Bay St., it is now a part of the Maxwell House Coffee plant. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Maxwell House Coffee plant today includes several multistory industrial buildings dating back to the early 20th century.<\/p>\n

Former Pepsi-Cola Bottling Plant<\/p>\n

648 King St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Southern Packing Co. operated out of 648 King Street when this photograph was taken. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

This King Street property has played several roles in Jacksonville\u2019s beverage and food industries. From 1933 to 1946, it housed Thomas Beverage Co., a woman-owned soft drink bottler operated by Lois H. Thomas. In 1946, it became the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Jacksonville, which operated the facility until 1957. The building later served as a cold-storage warehouse for Deal-Warren Refrigeration Co. Today, the former bottling plant has been divided among smaller businesses, including Blue Buddha Exotic Foods, Cool Stuff Vintage and Flaire Antiques.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/648 King Street in the Cork Arts District today.<\/p>\n

La Touraine Coffee \/ Union Terminal Warehouse<\/p>\n

700 E. Union St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/La Touraine Coffee at the Union Terminal Warehouse Co. | Ritz Theatre & Museum\u00a0<\/p>\n

When completed in 1914, the Union Terminal Warehouse was Jacksonville\u2019s largest industrial building. Conceived by businessman C.B. Gay, the massive complex offered wholesale companies shared space with convenient transportation access and reduced operating costs. Among its major tenants was W.S. Quinby Co., which roasted its popular La Touraine Coffee here during the 1920s and 1930s. The Jacksonville roasting operation closed in 1935, but its local coffee legacy continued through companies that followed. More recently, Columbia Ventures rehabilitated the landmark warehouse as a mixed-use development combining apartments, retail, offices and makerspace.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/This warehouse was built in 1910 for the Groover-Stewart Drug Co. It later became the Jacksonville home of Ballard & Ballard Co. The flour producer grew from a regional milling business into one of the largest flour companies in the world, with its products distributed widely across the country. Ballard & Ballard remained a prominent name in the American flour industry until the company was acquired by Pillsbury in the early 1950s. The East Union Street building remains a reminder of Jacksonville\u2019s early role as a regional center for wholesale trade and distribution. Today, it is a part of the Union Terminal Warehouse Co. development. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Union Terminal Warehouse Company building in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Winn & Lovett Grocery Co.<\/p>\n

1357 W. Beaver St.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/The Winn & Lovett Grocery Co. | Ritz Theatre & Museum<\/p>\n

Built in 1919, this West Beaver Street warehouse became an important hub for the grocery business that would eventually evolve into Winn-Dixie. William Lovett established his Jacksonville grocery chain in 1928, and its stores later became part of Winn & Lovett before being rebranded as Winn-Dixie in 1955. The company ultimately became Florida\u2019s first Fortune 500 company. After Winn-Dixie relocated its operations, the building served for many years as the headquarters of Load King Manufacturing. Today, the historic warehouse stands vacant and is offered for sale.<\/p>\n

\"\"\/Recently occupied by Load King Manufacturing, the warehouse that became Winn-Dixie\u2019s first corporate headquarters is now available for sale in the Rail Yard District.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jacksonville\u2019s historic warehouses and industrial buildings tell the story of a city shaped by railroads, shipping, manufacturing and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":375856,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[116,118,117],"class_list":["post-375855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=375855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/375855\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/375856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=375855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=375855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=375855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}