Piggly Wiggly, 4711 Forest Drive #1: 9 November 2013 12 comments
Well, we've pre-discussed this closing here, but the actual event finally took place on Saturday 9 November 2013 when this store closed as a Pig at 3PM.
As it happened, I was there a bit after 2PM, and found the store surprisingly well stocked. The entire right quadrant of the store, with produce, the bakery, the cafe and Dream Diners was empty, but the non-perishable isles were still pretty well stocked. I suppose the idea is that it probably cost the Pig less, or perhaps even made a little money, to transfer then to Bi-Lo rather than go through a drawn out sale, or trying to get them back to the warehouse.
As commenter Matt mentions, the store brand stuff did go on sale at deep discounts, because, well, Bi-Lo can always sell Dixie Crystals, but can hardly carry Pig Swig or other Pig branded items.
The store is to reopen next Friday, 15 November 2013 as Bi-Lo.
With this closure, the Garners Ferry closing and the Litchfield Beach closing, all the "nice" Pigs that I have personal experience with are gone. The one on Devine appears to be one of the older, smaller layouts, and is a bit of a drive anyhow.
12 Responses to 'Piggly Wiggly, 4711 Forest Drive #1: 9 November 2013'
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CayceKid
12 Nov 13 at 2:24 am
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I don't know how the new Bi-Lo can compete with Fresh Market, Publix, Trader Joe's, and distantly, Whole Foods. There already is a Bi-Lo on Decker Blvd.
JohnBom
12 Nov 13 at 2:25 am
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I know it had been previously discussed, but I didn't see where the Piggly Wiggly closing at 4360 Augusta Road had a write up. I don't remember when I first noticed it closed. It has probably been at least a month. As of last night, I did not see where Bi-Lo had started to take over the location.
James
12 Nov 13 at 9:18 am
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It is my understanding that the Pig on Augusta Road will not be reopened as a Bi-Lo. They already have a Bi-Lo right up the street past Wal-Mart. Bi-Lo bought this Pig either because it was part of a package deal or they felt that closing it would help their stores in West Columbia and Cayce.
I would bet that the store in Litchfield will be made into a Bi-Lo and they will close the Bi-Lo store up Highway 17 also in Litchfield. That store has become run down and is in need to some type of renovation.
ED
12 Nov 13 at 9:54 am
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The BI-LO on Garners Ferry is a poorly run store from what it used to be back in the 80's and even as late as the late 90's. Nothing is stocked as it should be, they never have any of their items in stock that's on sale, and NOW the self checkouts I was told are broken.. BUT I think it's because they don't wanna have them fixed, or they don't have enough people to run them anymore. Seems that particular store is becoming more and more "urban" managed and run than it used to be, and I think if that IS the case, it will fail to do more than it does now. The same goes for the BI-LO on Decker. Time will tell.
CayceKid
12 Nov 13 at 3:15 pm
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I could be wrong but the Bi-Lo I think CayceKid references (7830 Garners Ferry Road) looks to be younger than 80s...it seems to have a design similar to the one at 6021 St. Andrews Road that opened in 2002 so my inclination is to believe it was built around that same timeframe (but I am not 100% sure)...from what I've read it relocated from a location along Garners Ferry between I-77 and Greenlawn Drive (I think the Word of God Church and Ministries now operates in the shopping center it once anchored)...
Bi-Lo's Decker Blvd. location looks ilke it was built and never been updated much since (like pre-1990s). I get the same vibe about their North Main location when I've been out that way...
My dad has told me that a lot of grocery stores, restaurants, etc. have a high turnover rate of employees meaning some likely have struggles to stay staffed the way they need to be...
Kmart had self-checkouts for a time (at least Seven Oaks Shopping Center) but worked away from them...I've enjoyed working with them but wonder what the advantage to them is...
Andrew
13 Nov 13 at 1:02 am
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The Bi-Lo at 7830 Garners Ferry Rd was built around 1993. That entire property, which included the Best Western, the Pizza Hut, Putt-Putt, and a big white house that was near where the Bi-Lo sits now was redeveloped about that time.
The Bi-Lo further down Garners Ferry was located in what is now the Medallion Center. The parking lot for the Bi-Lo went all the way up to Garners Ferry. After Bi-Lo moved even further out Garners Ferry, a Holiday Inn Express was built in a portion of the parking lot. The link below show where the Bi-Lo was.
David
13 Nov 13 at 9:31 am
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david are you sure because I am pretty sure I remember the Putt Putt and Pizza Hut being where the BiLo on Devine Street is near Beltline and Rosewood and all that
chris
8 Dec 13 at 12:03 pm
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@ Chris- Sorry, I meant the one on Devine St. It was built around 1993 when the Pizza Hut, Putt Putt, Best Western, and the house were all torn down.
The Bi-Lo at 7830 Garners Ferry is the one that moved from what is now the Medallion Center.
David
9 Dec 13 at 9:34 am
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@ JohnBom: I wonder how Bi-Lo will fare with the acquisition of its new stores from Piggly Wiggly. Add Southeastern Grocers' pending acquisition of Harvey's, Reid's and Sweetbay from Delhaize America and you have several chains undergoing organization in 2014.
Piggly Wiggly's stores lagged behind necessities its competitors offered such as pharmacies. Bi-Lo would be smart to add the pharmacy and compete directly with CVS next door. I do not know when and if CVS intends to relocate.
Tiger
5 Jan 14 at 8:22 pm
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There was a Piggly Wiggly on Monticello Road back in the 70's thru early 80's at the now Grace Christian Church. The location is:
5010 Monticello RoadToby
12 May 16 at 1:04 pm
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That Piggly Wiggly dream dinners actually used to be a Starbucks did you guys know that the first pig in coulmbia to have a Starbucks I can’t remember if they were Any more that had Starbucks but they were some in Myrtle Beach and Charleston that had Starbucks
Dummy
12 Jul 18 at 2:09 pm
This building has gone through quite a few "renovations" since it opened originally as a Harris-Teeter. My roommate worked there for a while when Harris-Teeter was new, but they never really did find their "spot" in Columbia..twice. The Devine Piggly Wiggly has been there since the 70's or maybe before, but not sure, and it also has gone through a few changes in looks. BI-LO seems to have cornered the market here in Columbia "Grocery" wise.