By William C. Singleton III
Journal contributor
Plans are moving forward to not only bring a new CVS/ Pharmacy to Mountain Brook but a new Piggly Wiggly, too.
The Mountain Brook City Council recently approved a shared parking agreement with the landowners of the former Piggly Wiggly site at 93 Euclid Ave. CVS/Pharmacy plans to build a new store in the site Piggly Wiggly vacated last year. CVS/Pharmacy’s proposal includes eliminating 11 current parking spaces to accommodate a drive-thru pharmacy service and removing two additional current parking spaces to comply with ADA regulations.
The landowners, Scott and Scott, and the city had to determine how many parking spaces would be needed for the proposed CVS/Pharmacy to satisfy the city’s zoning code.
Dana Hazen, Mountain Brook’s city planner, said the development would need five parking spaces for every 1,000 square feet.
“We have worked with them and have confirmed they have the adequate number of parking spaces around the development to meet their parking needs,” City Manager Sam Gaston said. The developers of the CVS/Pharmacy have an idea of how much parking they need but still must submit their plans to the city, officials say.
CVS/Pharmacy plans to be open by the end of the year or early spring in 2015, Gaston said.
The store’s move to the old Piggly Wiggly store could mean a new Piggly Wiggly in Mountain Brook.
Robert Jolly, president of Retail Specialists, recently presented to the council preliminary plans to build a new Piggly Wiggly in the space that CVS/Pharmacy will vacate for its proposed new store.
After leasing negotiations failed, Piggly Wiggly closed its Crestline store in November after 30 years in the Mountain Brook community. Residents attempted to stop the closing through a community campaign and, when unsuccessful, held a barbecue appreciation event for store employees.
The new store would be larger than the former store–about 18,000 square feet compared to 11,400 square feet–and would be more of a “boutique Piggly Wiggly,” Gaston said.
Hazen said about five property owners would need to sign off on any proposal to bring a larger Piggly Wiggly to the area.
“There are so many moving parts at this point,” she said.
But Gaston said the city and residents could experience the best of both worlds by having a new CVS/Pharmacy and a new Piggly Wiggly.
“People are very excited Piggly Wiggly could be coming back,” he said.
