How Piggly Wiggly Became The First Modern Grocery Store

Piggly Wiggly, founded in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee, by Clarence Saunders, revolutionized the grocery shopping experience and laid the foundation for the modern supermarket. Prior to Piggly Wiggly, grocery stores operated on a counter-service model where customers handed a list to a clerk who fetched the items. Saunders introduced the novel concept of self-service shopping. He designed a store layout that guided customers through aisles stocked with goods, allowing them to select items themselves, place them in a basket, and proceed to a checkout counter. This innovation not only enhanced efficiency but also reduced costs, enabling lower prices for consumers. The self-service model empowered customers, providing them with the freedom to browse and make choices at their own pace. Piggly Wiggly’s pioneering approach also included price tags on every item, standardized packaging, and checkout stands, elements that became staples in grocery stores worldwide. The business model proved highly successful, leading to rapid expansion and inspiring countless imitators. Piggly Wiggly’s innovative approach to retail shifted the grocery industry’s dynamics, setting the stage for the development of the modern supermarket and transforming how people shopped for food and household goods.