The Historic Rent King Building in Downtown Haines City

If you have driven through downtown Haines City, there is a good chance you have passed the Rent King building at 500 E. Hinson Avenue without realizing just how much local history is tied to it.

The building dates back to 1948, when it was originally constructed as a Publix Super Market. Its distinctive retro appearance is not accidental. The rounded lines and streamlined commercial design are characteristic of the style Publix used for many of its stores during that era.

Nearly eight decades later, much of that vintage character is still visible.

Historical records also show that the property changed hands several times over the years. At one point, the former Publix property was associated with the Haines City Herald. Public records later show the property being transferred to Discount Auto Parts in 1995, followed by additional ownership changes in the 2000s.

Today, the building is home to Rent King and remains one of the more recognizable commercial buildings along Hinson Avenue.

What makes the property especially interesting is how much of its original architecture is still easy to recognize. Compared with many older commercial buildings that have been heavily remodeled or replaced entirely, this one still provides a visible connection to the way Haines City looked during the middle of the 20th century.

Old photographs of the former Publix make that connection even easier to see. When compared with the building today, many of the same architectural features are still recognizable.

Downtown Haines City continues to grow and change, but buildings like this are reminders that local history is often hiding in places we drive past every day.

The next time you pass Rent King on East Hinson Avenue, you are not just looking at a furniture and appliance store. You are looking at a former Publix building that has been part of Haines City since 1948.