Hazlehurst loses Piggly Wiggly grocery story

The signs told the sad story last Wednesday.  “Store is closed” is what was hand-written on  bright orange pieces of paper and hung in the windows of Piggly Wiggly in Hazlehurst.
In recent weeks, shoppers of the store speculated on what was going on with the locally-owned grocer, as items on store shelves began to dwindle.  The store, and another Pig in Crystal Springs, is owned by Kenny Bowman.  All remaining stocks were transferred to that store out of Hazlehurst.
The store closing has cost several long-time employees their jobs and leaves a gaping hole in the local grocery business.  Remaining grocery stores include independently owned Hart’s Grocery in downtown Hazlehurst and Walmart Supercenter on Hwy. 28.  Dollar General and Walgreens also  sell several everyday grocery items.
Efforts have been made to locate a grocery store in the slot that Pig once occupied, but no official word has come from anyone.