Hundreds Turn Out for Ribbon-Cutting at Five Points Piggly Wiggly
It was packed in Five Points Friday as the new Piggly Wiggly grocery store celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting and hours of giveaways from local vendors and specials on the fully-stocked aisles in East Tuscaloosa.
As the Thread has previously reported, the new Piggly Wiggly replaces the last Winn Dixie in Tuscaloosa County, which announced its closure in January. Unlike other stores in the area that were converted to ALDI stores, the Five Points spot on University Boulevard East stood vacant for a few months before B&W Foods announced their plans to open their largest and most modern Piggly Wiggly in the spot.
The store has been open since September, but elected officials, political candidates, business leaders and more gathered on Friday morning for the ceremony and to browse through the new space.
There were also more than two dozen local and regional vendors offering free samples and giveaways - everything from cans of Celsius energy drinks and cups of locally ground coffee to a hot bowl of Fajita Gumbo from the nearby beloved Jalapeños Mexican Grill.
Many of those leaders spoke before the ribbon-cutting in advance of a longer address from Jay Welborn, co-owner of B&W Foods.
"It's a great day for us to be here to celebrate you and the expanding empire that is Piggly Wiggly in our community," said Kyle South, the outgoing President of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama. "You serve, often times, in underserved areas, and making this investment in Five Points is something we have all looked forward to."
South's interim replacement, Carl Jamison, was also on-site to thank Welborn for his investment in the area before the grocer himself spoke.
"This took a tremendous amount of time and resources and energy to put this back together, but we believed in this location and we believed in this neighborhood," Welborn said. "We thought it was really important to bring Five Points a fresh, local grocery store, and that's what we've done."
Outside the store at 4205 University Boulevard East, Welborn gave credit to his father, his partner, his family, his employees and his customers for the success the Pig has enjoyed as it has spread through West Alabama.
"We're a family owned business, and we've always believed that our locations should be more than just a grocery store, they should be a gathering place where you see friendly faces and folks who support our neighborhoods, our communities," he said. "We're incredibly proud of what we've built here and excited to have the doors finally opened."
The Friday celebration saw hundreds of customers shop inside the new Piggly Wiggly, which has modern features like digitally upgraded price tags. If a customer has noted in the store's mobile app that they're looking for Dr. Pepper, for example, the relevant price tags are equipped with LED lights that will blink as that shopper passes.
The Five Points store also features a full-service deli and will soon boast its own in-house pharmacy when the Tuscaloosa Drug Company relocates inside the building soon.
The new Piggly Wiggly on University Boulevard at East Tuscaloosa's Five Points is open from 7 AM to 9 PM daily.
For more exclusive coverage of restaurant and retail development in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.
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