Today's Quote: Retail

The next couple of decades saw two additional iterations of the no-frills grocery store—the self-service market and the supermarket. The first innovation came from Clarence Saunders’ Memphis, Tennessee, Piggly Wiggly store in 1916. The place was rather small compared to most groceries of the day. His idea was to have the customers pick up the goods in the store themselves (instead of asking a clerk for assistance) and then pay at a central checkout area. Saunders knew this strategy would enable him to cut down on labor costs. He was also convinced customers would buy more if they could see and touch all the merchandise themselves. He therefore created aisles that facilitated customers’ handling of the goods, and he provided baskets in which shoppers could collect the items they wanted to buy. Like with department stores, the public spin on the setup was one of democratic privilege. As early as 1922, the Piggly Wiggly chain boasted that its self-service model “fosters the spirit of independence—the soul of democratic institutions, teaching men, women, and children to do for themselves.”