The owners are also providing $45,000 over three years for security services and provided $20,000 to enhance the security system, according to the lease agreement. Annual rent at the space will total $60,000 a year - $15,000 less than what it was for Jim’s - and the first six months will be rent-free. To build the space for Jim’s that now contains Piggly Wiggly, the city spent about $5.1 million and also obtained money from the New Market Tax Credit program, geared toward spurring growth and revitalization in lower-income communities.īrooks Crossing Grocery Store LLC, overseen by the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority, owns the building. The city has a lot invested in the store. Harrell said Piggly Wiggly felt like a perfect fit for the area, and he brought back many staff members from Jim’s. He owns a Piggly Wiggly in Norfolk, and his family has a long history with local grocery stores.
Harrell said the opportunity to open the store was hard to pass up. Grace joked with another shopper that she was coming over for breakfast after taking a look at the items in her cart.Īfter the opening, two of the busiest sections were the hot breakfast bar - which store owner Bert Harrell predicted would be a draw - and the Piggly Wiggly merchandise. Inside the store, many people greeted their neighbors or friends in the aisles. Having a local store was a necessity for many people in the area, she said, Vice Mayor Tina Vick, who represents the city’s South District, said she was sad when Jim’s closed but was excited for the Piggly Wiggly brand to come to the area, especially within just a few months. She said the city expects to hear about the grant within days. The city is one of six national finalists for grant funding and could receive up to $30 million to implement its plan.Ĭity Manager Cindy Rohlf said she couldn’t even say Piggly Wiggly without smiling, and she showed the same enthusiasm about the Choice Neighborhood Initiative. The Choice Neighborhood program helps cities revamp blighted neighborhoods by implementing plans that focus on housing, people and the neighborhood as a whole - the focus of Newport News’ application is the Ridley Place housing complex and surrounding area. She hoped Piggly Wiggly would be a catalyst for more businesses, particularly an additional grocery option in walking distance of people living further from Piggly Wiggly. Sample-Jones has been active in the city’s Choice Neighborhood Initiative efforts to transform the Southeast Community. She told an employee, and on Wednesday, the store had watermelon with seeds. She went during the soft opening, and the store didn’t have any watermelons with seeds at the time, she said. Sample-Jones said the store already had a community-friendly feel. The fruit and vegetable selection made her happy as well - she and her daughter recently decided to go vegetarian. Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin Piggly Wiggly® Store Locations Select your state below to go to your local Piggly Wiggly website.
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