The Piggly Wiggly store on Plum Street in Parkersburg. The local Piggly Wiggly stores have a new owner and there is a new focus on customer service and more competitive pricing. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — Local customers will be seeing a number of changes at local Piggly Wiggly stores as its new owners look to put the focus back on serving their customers.

The local stores in Parkersburg were recently bought by Jamason Sparks who purchased the five local stores that were once owned by Jim Oppe including the locations on Plum Street, Emerson Avenue, Gihon Village and Grand Central Avenue in Vienna as well as the store in The Plains, Ohio. Sparks owns a total of 13 stores.

The local stores will be keeping the Piggly Wiggly name as well as retaining their employees, about 20-30 for each store.

District Manager Jeremy Fellure said store employees have been working on retagging a lot of items in the stores and “getting into a more competitive price zone” with their prices.

“People will see a return to basics,” he said. “Customer service, better pricing and anything we can do to make the experience better for the shopper.

“It is back to basics, Grocery 101.”

They are looking at lowering prices on a variety of items, both store brands and national brands as they are working with their suppliers to be able to offer the best price, Fellure said.

The store managers are more engaged and have the ability to offer in-store specials on items they know will sell well in their store and they will be able to get that product in bulk from their supplier, he said.

“If we would come across a pallet of cereal that a store manager knows they can sell a lot of, they can order it and put an in-store special price on it which we get a better price so we pass that savings onto the customer,” Fellure said.

Sometimes, businesses get so caught up with numbers that they aren’t looking at the people they serve.

“You have to base your business on customer service,” Fellure said. “If you aren’t looking at customer service, you are missing the biggest part of it.

“Yes, it is a business and you do have to look at your numbers because that is part of it. However, you really do have to put the customers first. You have to go back to basics and make it simple.”

He pointed to the need to offer the best pricing they can, getting the best deal from their suppliers.

“Then you pass that savings on to the customers, because without them, we are nothing,” Fellure said.

Next week they will be doing a more aggressive advertising campaign.

Fellure said he will be going up and down each aisle addressing where the needs are and what needs to be fixed.

Although their local stores are fully staffed, he said they are on the lookout for potential new employees who can help improve customer service.

Fellure wants the public to come in and see what they have done and see their renewed focus.

“We want you to shop with us because you want to, not because you need to,” he said. “We are putting our best foot forward to make sure all of your needs are being met.

“It is a refreshing and well needed change.”

An email message was left for Sparks on Wednesday, but he did not respond by press time.