Photo by Erin Nelson.
Piggly Wiggly on Montgomery Highway in Homewood.
The Piggly Wiggly in Homewood is relocating just a few feet from its current space to behind the current CVS location in order to build a bigger store that can better suit customer’s needs.
Murray Legg with McConnell, White and Terry, which owns the property where Piggly Wiggly and some surrounding businesses sit, said Piggly Wiggly has indicated it needs more space and has outgrown its current building. Traffic is a mess at the location, Legg said.
The plan was to get CVS to move from its space to the corner where Piggly Wiggly sits now, but so far, CVS has given no indication it plans to move. A media representative from CVS did not respond to The Homewood Star by press time.
Legg said the ownership group cannot make CVS move.
“That’s the unfortunate thing,” Legg said. “We wish that could be the case.”
Piggly Wiggly ownership, led by Andrew Virciglio, is excited about the opportunity to serve its “loyal customers” better with a new, larger store and, despite being behind the CVS, Piggy Wiggly expects good visibility and better parking at the new location, said David Davis, communications advisor for Piggly Wiggly. Davis added there are now three generations working in the store.
The new store will be about 20-30% larger than the current store and will have modern fixtures and lighting, along with being energy-efficient, Davis said.
“There comes a time [when] buildings are to either be completely rehabbed or you’re starting over,” Davis said.
The store needs to be more consumer-friendly and energy-efficient, Davis said.
The neighborhood and community have been a huge part of Piggly Wiggly’s success, Davis said.
“All that is so important to the operations of Piggly Wiggly stores,” he said.
Piggly Wiggly offers produce, flowers, fresh fish, chicken, a butcher department, a deli, and craft beer and wine, Davis said. With the new location opening, there will be additional staff hired, and there should also be “broader offerings” at the store.
Davis said he does not have a timeline of when the new store will be open but said the current store will not close until the new one is ready.
An incentive package for McConnell, White and Terry’s project was approved by the Homewood City Council on Oct. 24.
For the next 10 years, the council agreed to rebate any sales tax revenues beyond what the city currently receives from Piggly Wiggly, up to $3.5 million, Council President Alex Wyatt said.
“The Pig is a very important partner with the city,” Wyatt said. “It is something that is part of our community. It is a business that certainly gives back to the community in multiple, multiple ways.”
Legg said the expectation is that the business will grow its sales tax revenues by 35% to 40% as a result of the new building.
Davis added the $3.5 million in incentives were for the land owner — McConnell, White and Terry — not just for Piggly Wiggly, which will make its own pitch to the city in the future on what the grocery chain might need.
While the Piggly Wiggly being relocated and redeveloped is the major component of the area’s redevelopment, Legg said McConnell, White and Terry also plans to renovate Cameron’s Corner, which sits adjacent to the current Piggly Wiggly, improving the corner’s aesthetics and giving it a “facelift.”
