The Malicki family announced Monday that they are expanding their Piggly Wiggly grocery business into Oak Creek at a second location at 2201 E. Rawson Avenue.
Their current store is located at 5201 Washington Avenue, in Mount Pleasant, and owner Ralph Malicki said the expansion opportunity came about after Chuck Potter, the owner of the Oak Creek store, announced his retirement a few weeks ago.
“It happened fast, but you have to take advantage when opportunity knocks,” Malicki said.
He opened the store in 2011 and has 110 employees.
The deal came together in just about a month, he added, after Potter alerted Piggly Wiggly about his retirement and company officials notified Malicki about a potential expansion.
Malicki said the goal has always been to expand and that includes a continuing focus on locally and regionally sourced products.
“We plan to do in Oak Creek what we do here; a lot of local, specialty and the same private label items we have here,” he said.
Malicki also plans to incorporate his commitment to community at the new store. Here in Racine County, Malicki often helps sponsor or hosts fundraisers for local organizations. Most recently, he arranged the delivery to his store of a 100-foot sub that was cut up into four-inch sandwiches to raise money and awareness of the Wisconsin Humane Society and We Are Racine.
“We do plan to be entrenched in the community in Oak Creek like we do here,” he confirmed. “It’s just the right thing to do.”
The 70 workers employed at the Oak Creek store will be invited to re-apply for their jobs. Those positions are a mix of full and part-time, similar to the organization Malicki operates in Mount Pleasant.
After the announcement went up on the store’s Facebook page Monday, a post from an Oak Creek resident seemed to sum up nicely how people feel about a Malicki PIggly Wiggly in that city.
“Awesome, in my neighborhood,” posted Ruben Fuentes.
The new Malicki’s Piggly Wiggly will officially “open” September 7, though the store will remain open through the transition.