Photo by Frank Couch.
piggly wiggly
Naseem Ajlouny, Basim Ajlouny and Andy Virciglio inside of the new Piggly Wiggly.
Though he is not quite ready to announce an exact date, Crestline Piggly Wiggly owner Andy Virciglio said construction of the new space is still on pace for a spring 2016 opening.
“We are very happy that the construction process has advanced as it has,” said Virciglio.
With contractors Brasfield and Gorrie at its helm, Virciglio said all the pieces are coming together.
“This will be an exciting time for our team and the community because we are anxiously awaiting our reopening in Crestline Village,” he said.
The new, 28,250-square-foot urban-style store is located on Vine Street and is neighbors with the Crestline Elementary field and the Mountain Brook Board of Education building. The newly opened Smith’s Variety is also just across the alley.
Along with the store’s local staple items, Virciglio said customers will be happy to know they will see some familiar faces when the store opens. Much of the team who worked at the old Crestline store is currently at the Piggly Wiggly River Run or the Homewood store, he said, and some will make the move back to the Crestline store.
“We value that customer-employee relationship,” said Virciglio, “and that is one of the things that helps to set the Piggly Wiggly experience apart from other grocers.”
Along with the familiar comforts, Virciglio said the store will be able to offer a variety of upgrades thanks in part to it being built from the ground up.
“Being able to build a new building allows the store to be better planned and more spacious,” he said, including expanded produce, deli, meat, seafood, wine and beer departments.
Still, he said, the store will keep many of the qualities that made it such a neighborhood favorite for decades.
“We want to maintain the charm of a Piggly Wiggly, neighborhood-focused store with locally grown foods, full service meat and seafood with butcher on site,” said Virciglio. “We have listened to the community and have tried our best to match up what is desired and what we can deliver best.”
There is currently no set grand opening celebration, said Virciglio, but plans are in the works.
Virciglio said he believes his employees are more than anything ready to see their friends again.
“That is how our Piggly Wiggly staff views customers,” he said, “they know them as friends. There was such strong support of our store from customers, the city leadership, our suppliers, and everywhere, that without a doubt our team looks forward to getting back to Crestline.”
