Publix vice president celebrated retirement by bagging groceries

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla. — Publix’s vice president climbed his way to the top, starting as a bag boy at a south Florida grocery store. 

So when Bill Fauerbach retired this week, he decided he wanted to spend his last day on the job the same way he spent his first day… bagging groceries.

Fauerbach retired after 47 years with the popular grocery chain. He started bagging groceries as a high school student at a Publix in Lighthouse Point.

And much like his high school years as a bagger, when he returned to the store Fauerback happily chatted with customers and he made sure their bread didn’t get crushed by heavier items by appropriately separating the items in the bag.

Publix surprised him by rolling out a green carpet where all the store’s district managers, along with Fauerbach’s sons lined up to cheer him on as he escorted the final customer to their car.  Now, that’s a beautiful and sentimental moment to retire.

The Associated Press helped with the writing of this story.