Clarence Saunders invented the modern self-service grocery store by opening the first Piggly Wiggly in Memphis, Tennessee, on September 11, 1916. This revolutionized shopping by allowing customers to browse aisles and pick their own items, replacing the traditional "over-the-counter" method where clerks retrieved goods.
Who invented the first grocery store in the world?
The concept of a self-service grocery store predates the supermarket; it was developed by entrepreneur Clarence Saunders at his Piggly Wiggly stores, the first of which opened in 1916. Saunders was awarded several patents for the ideas he incorporated into his stores.
The first self-service grocery store, Piggly Wiggly, was opened in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee, by Clarence Saunders, an inventor and entrepreneur. Prior to this innovation, grocery stores operated "over the counter," with customers asking a grocer to retrieve items from inventory.
Clarence Saunders invented the modern supermarket in Memphis, Tennessee in 1916. Prior to Saunder's innovation, grocery stores usually were places where merchandise was stacked to the ceiling along the walls behind counters.
Clarence Sanders (born December 28, 1952) is an American former professional football linebacker. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1978 and 1980.
Saturday Evening Post History Minute: The Evolution of Grocery Stores from Corner Market to Colossus
What is the story of Clarence Saunders?
Piggly Wiggly founder Clarence Saunders came from a poor family in western Virginia. He cycled through a series of menial jobs until 1916, when, at the age of 35, he set up America's first self-service grocery store in Memphis, Tennessee. He called it Piggy Wiggly, but no one really knows why.
The "3-3-3 Rule" for groceries isn't one single definition, but usually refers to planning around three main food types (proteins, carbs, fats/veggies) for balanced meals or a variation like the "3-3-2-2-1 Method," focusing on 3 veggies, 3 proteins, 2 grains, 2 fruits, and 1 dip/spread for simple, balanced shopping, helping to avoid meal planning ruts and create variety with minimal effort.
He moved to Memphis from Montgomery County and worked in a grocery warehouse. He worked hard and saved his money. Then, on September 11, 1916, in Memphis, he opened the first supermarket in the world, Piggly Wiggly.
British people call large grocery stores supermarkets (like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda) and smaller ones corner shops, convenience stores, or simply "the shop," while "grocery store" (US term) isn't typically used, but the act of shopping for food is often called "doing the shopping" or "food shopping".
Morrisons wasn't always Morrisons; many of its larger stores were formerly Safeway supermarkets, which Morrisons acquired in 2004, rebranding the stores by 2005, while older sites might have been Fine Fare or Food Giant. The company itself started as a market stall in Bradford by William Morrison in 1899, growing into Wm Morrison (Provisions) Limited and then Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC.
Americans most commonly call supermarkets grocery stores, using the terms almost interchangeably, though some might say "the store" or refer to the specific store's name (like going to Kroger or Safeway). While "supermarket" is understood, "grocery store" is the everyday phrase for where people buy their food and household items, often for large weekly shops.
On average, American households are paying about $270 per week ($1,080 a month) for groceries, according to Delish, which sourced their findings from the latest Census Bureau estimates.
The 6-to-1 grocery shopping method limits what you purchase to specific categories in order to save time and money at the store. Here's what you get: six vegetables, five fruits, four protein sources, three starches, two sauces or spreads, and one item just for fun.
One story is that he saw from a train window several little pigs struggling to get under a fence, and the rhyming name occurred to him then. Another theory is that it is derived from the nursery rhyme, “This little piggy went to market…
For example, in Hebrew, Raphael means “God Heals,” Michael means “God's Hero” and Gabriel means “Like God.” Coincidentally perhaps, in Latin, Clarence means “Luminous.” There are other indicators of Clarence's divine origins. To the Catholic Bishop, the existence of angels makes theological sense.
