Myrtle Beach residents are reacting to the recent announcement that the city’s last remaining Piggly Wiggly grocery store has closed. The store, located just two blocks from the ocean, made its closing public last week via a social media post. This marks the end of an era for the iconic grocery chain in Myrtle Beach, as it was the final Piggly Wiggly location in the city since the Market Common store ceased operations in 2016.
For over five decades, the Piggly Wiggly served as a familiar landmark and a convenient shopping destination for both locals and the millions of annual visitors to the Grand Strand. Its proximity to the oceanfront made it a staple for beachgoers and residents in the central business district. The closure highlights the evolving retail landscape in Myrtle Beach, a city known for its robust tourism economy and rapid growth in real estate and construction, particularly in master-planned communities like Grande Dunes and Carolina Forest.
The Piggly Wiggly brand has a long history, with its first self-service grocery store opening in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1916. The chain was revolutionary for its time, introducing shopping carts and individual item pricing, concepts that are now standard in the grocery industry. While the Myrtle Beach location may be gone, the legacy of Piggly Wiggly’s innovative approach to grocery retail remains a significant part of American commercial history.
