A beloved local butcher shop in Prospect might be losing its space to make way for a new Publix , forcing tenants to move as early as November.

James Mike, who works alongside his father at Butchers Best , said he received a call from a Publix representative this fall, informing the family-owned business that it would need to vacate its building on U.S. Highway 42 by Nov 7.

Mike said the Publix representative offered to buy them out of their lease, which was supposed to go through 2028, but it wouldn’t be worth it for the shop. His father took out $250,000 in loans 18 years ago when the store first opened — and the buildout costs for a new space would easily surpass that.

In an emailed statement, a Publix spokesperson said the company has “no plans to share for a new location in Pro

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