When asked about the importance of teamwork, legendary pro football coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
And team work is what led to a $50,000 grant to help a Cherokee businesswoman reopen the town's only grocery store later this year.
Tracy Wix, who operates a pharmacy in Cherokee, will soon open People's Piggly Wiggly. The store closed last November.
Through the efforts of the Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments, the Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs, Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow (D-Red Bay), Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia) and Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), a $50,000 grant was awarded through ADECA's Healthy Food Financing Program to help Wix with purchasing equipment and making upgrades to the grocery, located at 8075 U.S. 72.
Once the Piggly Wiggly reopens, it will be the only grocery store in a 15-20 mile radius.
The grant announcement was made April 4, 2018. Wix said she appreciated the work of the legislators, as well as Keith Jones and his staff at NACOLG.
“This town was a food desert. There was no food, no grocery store for more than 15 miles. This money will be a tremendous help to allow us to have new, up-to-date equipment and be able to keep everything fresh in the store,” Wix said.
“Rep. Morrow, Sen. Stutts and Sen. Melson helped a whole lot in getting that grant approved and I appreciate their efforts,” Wix added.
Morrow said the Piggly Wiggly meets an essential need for the citizens of Cherokee.
“This was an important project and an important tax base for the community. I was excited to be able to share the news about this grant to help reopen a business right here in northwest Alabama,” Morrow said.
It's estimated the grocery will provide between $6,000 and $7,000 per month in sales tax revenue to the Town of Cherokee.
According to Cherokee Mayor Terry Cosby, the Piggly Wiggly grossed more than $3.4 million in 2016.
