By Emily Williams
Members of the Mountain Brook community gathered in Crestline just off of Church Street the morning of June 3 to welcome back the Crestline Piggly Wiggly.
The much-anticipated grand opening was the culmination of more than two years of hard work.
“This is a great day for the city,” said Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston. “It is one of the most eagerly anticipated events, probably since the opening of Cahaba Village, and we are all very thankful that The Pig is back.”
Mountain Brook Mayor Terry Oden began the ribbon-cutting program with a few words of support.
“It’s been 2ó years since we were all standing in the old Pig’s parking lot, wailing and gnashing our teeth, thinking the world was coming to an end,” Oden said. “But, today, like a phoenix, it has risen out of the ashes.”
Though the building is new, Oden assured the audience that the Pig’s familiar charms have been maintained. He took a moment to recognize a few returning staff members, among them “Miss Arrelia” on the register, former store manager Ron Mitchell and Sam, the “best bag man in town.”
Oden said the return of the store is the result of a communitywide collaboration.
“I don’t know of any other project in the world like this where the city, owners, financiers, neighbors, school, architects and the community all came together to find a solution,” Oden said.
While co-owners Basim and Naseem Ajlouny reside in Hoover and Andy Virciglio in Vestavia Hills, all three sang praises for the support Crestline residents give to local businesses.
“This community is so especially supportive … We wouldn’t be back here and open again without all of you,” Virciglio said.
Billy Pritchard, Mountain Brook City Council pro tem, gave a nod to a particularly involved member of the community, Miller Gorrie, chairman of Brasfield & Gorrie.
“When a community need is identified, there are always a number of remarkable citizens who come forward to try and find a solution,” Pritchard said. He commented that there were several people who went to work right away when the old Pig closed, and one of those people was Gorrie.
When the city was faced with the difficult task of finding a new store location, Gorrie aided in the planning and his company took charge of the building process. Pritchard said that when they later hit a roadblock securing enough parking spaces, Gorrie acted as a liaison between the Pig and neighboring business, Regions Bank, to construct a compromise.
Aiding in the cutting of the ribbon was Virciglio’s father, Stanley.
“I remember telling my son that when I opened the old store 33 years ago, I wanted us to be an essential part of this community,” Stanley Virciglio said. “Crestline has been so good to our family and it fills me with joy to see us come back.”
Though he steered clear of the microphone, following the program Gorrie received recognition from the crowd of well-wishers. As he spoke with one supporter, he relayed that the project was one he supported, not only as a representative of Brasfield & Gorrie, but as a resident of the Mountain Brook community and a frequent patron of the old Pig.
Following the ceremony, guests shopped and made their first purchases at the new store.