A Piggly Wiggly store in the city of Racine was recently remodeled with an eye toward improving the shopping experience for customers.
It was the first time the store was significantly upgraded since it first opened in 2011, at 4011 Durand Ave. Based on feedback from customers and employees, the project focused on areas of the store shoppers care about most, according to a news release.
The refreshed store features widened, re-flowed aisles, updated floors and signage, and expanded fresh departments, including new displays in the produce section and newly curated assortments in the deli and bakery. Customers will also find an updated assortment of national brands and Piggly Wiggly-brand products. The cost of the project was not disclosed.
“This remodel is about more than a new look — it’s about doubling down on our commitment to Racine,” said Charlie Russell, vice president and general manager of Piggly Wiggly Midwest. “We’ve invested in this store because we believe in this community, and we plan to be here for generations to come.”
Based in Sheboygan since 1911, Piggly Wiggly Midwest has nearly 100 corporate-owned and franchise Piggly Wiggly stores in Wisconsin, including roughly 40 across the southeastern part of the state, and six Butera Market stores in the Chicagoland region. The Durand Avenue store is one of three Piggly Wiggly stores in Racine; the others are located at 3900 Erie St. and 5600 Spring St. Piggly Wiggly Midwest was acquired by New Hampshire-based C&S Wholesale Grocers in 2021.
Credit: Piggly Wiggly Staff members cut the ceremonial ribbon at Durand Avenue Piggly Wiggly store’s grand reopening in mid-April.
The Durand Avenue store refresh was unveiled to the public at a grand reopening event in mid-April, featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live music, giveaways, product demonstrations, food and family-friendly activities.
“Piggly Wiggly’s roots in Racine run deep, and we’re excited to reinvest in our shoppers and our store in this way,” said Ryan Evers, senior district store manager. “Every part of this remodel was inspired by our store guests and making it easy for them to answer the question, ‘What’s for dinner?’”
While Piggly Wiggly invests in its southeastern Wisconsin store footprint, other national grocers are scaling back. Eight grocery stores in the Milwaukee area have closed in the past year. Among them, five were Kroger-operated Pick ‘n Save stores, two were Aldi stores, and one a locally owned Sentry Foods store that is now slated to reopen as an independent store under a new name. Check out the latest BizTimes Milwaukee cover story for a deep dive on Milwaukee’s grocery store closure crisis.
