Whitmire’s Piggly Wiggly to close

WHITMIRE — Recently, the owners of the Piggly Wiggly in Whitmire announced the store will be closing.

An online petition that began circulation last week gained over 1,000 signatures to ‘Save the Whitmire Piggly Wiggly,’ but the sale has already been completed and the store is slated to cease operation.

An email to The Newberry Observer from C&S Wholesale Grocers, Piggly Wiggly’s grocery distributor, stated: “Due to the landlord selling the property where the store is located, the Piggly Wiggly in Whitmire will be closing. The store employees were notified by the owner and he is working to support them through this transition.”

Whitmire town officials commented that the buyer of the property has plans to maintain a retail store at that location; however, the exact format of the store is still in question.

With the closing of “The Pig” residents of Whitmire will have about a 20-minute drive to Newberry, Clinton or Union to the nearest full-service grocery store.

The final day of operation of the store in its current format will be Friday, February 11.

According to a town official, the new owners will be at town council on Monday, Feb. 14 to discuss the future of the building.

Whitmire Town Council meets at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Annex the second Monday of each month.