Grand opening ceremonies for Publix Super Market in Florence have been scheduled for Dec. 12, company officials said.

The community has worked for more than five years to attract Publix.

The store is in Renaissance City Center on Cox Creek Parkway in the same complex with Books-A-Million and Hibbetts Sporting Goods. The center is across the street from Regency Square Mall.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be at 6:45 a.m., with the store scheduled to open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.

Company officials said about 160 people will work at the 55,000 square-foot store, which will contain the traditional grocery, dairy and frozen food departments along with a meat department, bakery, deli and produce department that carries organic and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.

The first 1,000 customers will receive a free Publix re-usable grocery bag. Other gifts also will be supplied, company officials said.

Publix reported sale of $27 billion in 2011 at its 1,065 stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee.