By Lee Weyhrich
A mercantile business will occupy the vacant Piggly Wiggly on Old Springville Road in Clay, it was announced Monday night.
The old Piggly Wiggly will soon be renovated and reopened as McEnally’s Mercantile. According to owner Kim Steffey, it will be a feed and seed, a paint and hardware store, an auto supply, a place to buy food-source plants, a place to buy locally sourced meat, produce and dairy products, and a place for locals to meet.
The name of the store came from the name of her family’s farm in Virginia. Steffey said it was her background in farming and in construction that led her to opening a business specializing in the sustainable lifestyle.
A restaurant, Cahaba Oaks Cafe, will also be on site and will feature all locally sourced food as well. It will serve breakfast, as well as a meat-and-three lunch.
“One of the biggest things for me is fixing up the building,” Steffey said. “It is an eyesore, and it has been sitting empty for close to seven years. I live on Goodner Mountain Road and I’ve traveled by the old Piggly Wiggly on numerous times.”
Steffey expects renovations to take four months
. The building has to be completely gutted and new fixtures need to be installed.