Our reading in William Cronon, Nature’s Metropolis (“The Busy Hive”) talked about how railroads changed the world of the Midwest. In this exercise, we want to see, if newspapers enable us to see evidence of similar changes in North Carolina.
(left) The Original Piggly-Wiggly in Memphis, 1918
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piggly_Wiggly (Right) The Dughi Grocery Store, Raleigh, c. 1900 https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/6887902381/in/photolist-buEiEk-buEipB-buEjcP-buEjhg-buEidc-buEihz-buEj7R-buF42i-buEiKt-buEj1g-2jwkXfV-ehHgKw
In the late 19th and early 20th century, most grocery stores were small and local. In 1919 a national grocery store chain, Piggly Wiggly, opened up in Greensboro. Here is a list of grocery stores in Greensboro in 1918-1919 before Piggly Wiggly came. (The stars indicate stores owned by African-Americans.) Look at the following advertisements for Piggly Wiggly. Look also for the advertisements for local grocery stores. Do you see any themes discussed in Cronon’s “The Busy Hive?” What differences do you see between the world of the local grocers and the national chains? Write an essay of 750-1000 words. Your essay should contain the following.
- A specific comparison from advertisements comparing Piggly-Wiggly and local stores. How does PIggly-Wiggly represent a new way of grocery shopping? How does Piggly-Wiggly present itself in comparison to other grocery stores?
- A specific analysis/comparison of the way the themes discussed in “The Busy Hive,” (from Cronon with the coming of Montgomery War and Sears, Roebuck) can be seen in the story of Piggly-Wiggly. Are there differences you see?
You don’t have to look at every one of these advertisements, but you should look at enough to get a sense of what Piggly-Wiggly was and how it was different. Your essay should pay attention to the producer of the sources and what their intentions were.
Local Stores
“Greensboro Tobacco Market,” The Greensboro Patriot, May 18, 1881.
J. L. Keeling, Grocer, The North State, February 7, 1889
Greensboro Telegram, June 17, 1898
Gilmer Bros. Specialty Store, August 23, 1919
“The Market” Greensboro Daily News, August 30, 1919
Piggly-Wiggly
“Piggly-Wiggly: A Flower to Each Visitor,” Greensboro Daily News, October 14, 1919.
“Piggly Wiggly Store Opened Here Tuesday,” Greensboro Daily News, October 15, 1919.
“In the Home of Your Friends,” Greensboro Daily News, October 21, 1919.
“Piggly-Wiggly, Its Growth and Success,” Greensboro Daily News, November 9, 1919
“Are You a Good Citizen Or a ‘Red’?,” Greensboro Daily News, February 28, 1920.
“Piggly Wiggly Stores,” Greensboro Daily News, May 1, 1920.
Side-by-Side Advertisements of Piggly-WIggly and Local Grocery Stores
“The Saturday Market Basket,” Greensboro Daily News, April 24, 1920;
“The Saturday Market Basket,” Greensboro Daily News, April 10, 1920.
Here is a picture of a local grocery store in Raleigh around 1904. Here is a local grocery store in Raleigh around 1931.