Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 31
Piggly Wiggly Shoppers Collect Mr. Pig T-Shirts Across 500 Stores in 18 States
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 31

Piggly Wiggly Shoppers Collect Mr. Pig T-Shirts Across 500 Stores in 18 States

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 31

Summary

  • Piggly Wiggly merchandise—especially store-specific Mr. Pig T-shirts—has become collectible, with some shoppers driving 50 miles out of their way to add new designs.
  • More than 20 years of formal merchandise sales, plus local operators’ freedom to create community-themed shirts, have made certain designs unique to individual stores and hard to find elsewhere.
  • Terry Goins, the chain’s Midwest marketing director, said demand stays steady across age groups because the 110-year-old logo signals nostalgia, humor and regional identity rather than a polished national brand.
  • The appeal now extends beyond shirts: at the Wisconsin State Fair this month, fans waited over an hour for temporary Mr. Pig tattoos and took 6,000 reusable bags in under six hours.
  • Founded in Memphis in 1916, Piggly Wiggly helped pioneer self-service grocery shopping and now operates more than 500 stores across 18 states.

Insights

What makes a simple grocery store logo so powerful that fans refuse to buy its merchandise online?
Why are international tourists driving miles out of their way just to buy a local supermarket's T-shirt?