Piggly Wiggly's Customer Service Revolution: How New Ownership is Transforming Grocery Shopping

Piggly Wiggly's New Era: Customer Service Takes Center Stage

The Piggly Wiggly store on Plum Street in Parkersburg. The local Piggly Wiggly stores have a new owner and there is a new focus on customer service and more competitive pricing. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

Local customers are witnessing significant transformations at Piggly Wiggly stores as new ownership shifts the focus squarely back on serving their customers.

New Ownership, Fresh Vision

Jamason Sparks recently acquired five local Piggly Wiggly stores in Parkersburg that were previously owned by Jim Oppe. The locations include stores on Plum Street, Emerson Avenue, Gihon Village, Grand Central Avenue in Vienna, and The Plains, Ohio. With this acquisition, Sparks now owns a total of 13 stores.

Crucially, all stores will retain the Piggly Wiggly name and keep their existing employees—approximately 20-30 staff members per location.

Back to Basics: Grocery 101

District Manager Jeremy Fellure emphasizes that the new approach represents a return to fundamentals in grocery retail.

"People will see a return to basics," Fellure stated. "Customer service, better pricing and anything we can do to make the experience better for the shopper. It is back to basics, Grocery 101."

Competitive Pricing Strategy

Store teams have been actively retagging items throughout the stores to achieve "more competitive price zones" with their pricing.

The company is working to lower prices on both store brands and national brands by collaborating closely with suppliers to secure the best possible deals.

Empowering Store Managers

A key component of the new strategy involves giving store managers greater autonomy to create in-store specials based on their knowledge of local customer preferences.

"If we would come across a pallet of cereal that a store manager knows they can sell a lot of, they can order it and put an in-store special price on it which we get a better price so we pass that savings onto the customer," Fellure explained.

The Customer Service Imperative

Fellure stressed that businesses often become too focused on numbers at the expense of the people they serve.

"You have to base your business on customer service," he asserted. "If you aren't looking at customer service, you are missing the biggest part of it. Yes, it is a business and you do have to look at your numbers because that is part of it. However, you really do have to put the customers first. You have to go back to basics and make it simple."

Looking Ahead

The company plans to launch a more aggressive advertising campaign next week to communicate their renewed focus to customers.

Fellure personally plans to walk through every aisle in the stores to identify areas needing improvement. While the stores are currently fully staffed, the company remains open to hiring new employees who can enhance customer service.

Invitation to Customers

Fellure extended an invitation to the public: "We want you to shop with us because you want to, not because you need to. We are putting our best foot forward to make sure all of your needs are being met. It is a refreshing and well needed change."