Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co.

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Overview

The Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company, headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, was founded in 1947. Today “The Pig” is a large employee-owned, privately operated retail company with more than 3,000 employees and 100 stores throughout South Carolina and coastal Georgia.

History

Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company was founded by Joseph T. Newton Jr. He purchased a Piggly Wiggly Franchise from the Piggly Wiggly Corporation.

Originally based in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, Joe Newton and his son-in-law Burt Schools moved the main warehouse to North Charleston, SC in 1959. In the decade after, he bought out Piggly Wiggly Carolina (based in Columbia, SC), and merged the two companies as Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. In 1958, Joe Newton’s son-in-law, Burt Schools, joined the business, and in 1962, Joe’s son, Joseph T. “Buzzy” Newton, III, also joined the business.

In April 2007, after 45 years with Piggly Wiggly, Buzzy Newton retired as president and became chairman of the board. Upon Newton’s retirement, David R. Schools, Burt Schools’ son and Buzzy Newton’s nephew, was named President of Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company and Greenbax Enterprises; a wholly owned subsidiary of Piggly Wiggly Carolina.

Present Company

Today Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. has over 100 stores in South Carolina, and many in Georgia as well. Entirely employee owned and privately operated, Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. employs over 6,000 employees. Branching out, PWCC is involved in several other businesses, including Greenbax Enterprises, Newton Builders, Tri-State Prining, and Stagecoach. There are now three main centers for the company, the warehouse in North Charleston, SC, a second warehouse in Jedburg, SC, and a corporate office at Albemarle Point Center in Charleston, SC.

Services

Piggly Wiggly stores house a variety of departments including general grocery, meat, seafood, produce, deli, bakery, floral and pharmacy. Online shopping services, Starbucks Coffee and fuel stations are also available in select locations.

Many Piggly Wiggly stores offer a selection of wine including labels from France, Italy, South America, and Australia in addition to the United States. Some locations feature wine cellars and sommeliers on staff.

Greenbax Enterprises

Greenbax Enterprises began as a sister corporation to Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company in the 1950s. Greenbax are given with purchases, and these can be cashed in for discounts on groceries and merchandise that advertises the store. Greenbax discontinued the traditional paper stamps and began recording each customer’s balance electronically on the Pig's Favorite Customer (PFC) card. Shoppers can electronically redeem Greenbax at Piggly Wiggly stores, the Greenbax Online Catalog via the internet at www.Greenbax.net, or at other partner business locations.

See also

• Supermarkets in the United States
• Piggly Wiggly

External links

• Official Corporate Piggly Wiggly Website
• Piggly Wiggly Carolina Website