New store deli recently opened in Ruleville
On July 1, Forrest Vinson purchased Sullivan’s Grocery in Ruleville with plans to turn it into a Piggly Wiggly. The ribbon cutting was executed on the eleventh of November and the grand opening sale was held November 14 – 16.
Originally from south Mississippi, Vinson said he grew up in the grocery store business and has held every position that is offered in the business. Vinson has a degree in Aviation Management from Louisiana Tech and is a combat veteran.
Since taking over the store, Vinson said he has learned that the area is “prosperous”, has a “strong influence from the medical facilities that are present”, and continuously growing.
“Most of the changes I’ve made since I started have been just fixing things,” said Vinson. “The refrigeration was leaking and not running properly and it still leaks. We changed the names and labels over, and recently reopened the deli. Just a lot of repairs that were neglected for probably two decades.”
While there are always routine repairs and maintenance that will need to be done, Vinson said he is planning on updating most of the equipment he bought from the previous owners as he can afford it.
“There are several things left that I’m trying to fix, but in the long run, we plan to redo the floors and replace this old equipment,” said Vinson.
According to Vinson, the quality of meat he provides is much better than what was previously offered.
“Our quality of meat is a higher standard than the previous warehouse that this store was buying from,” said Vinson. “That’s how we get our slogan, ‘best meat market around’.”
The Piggly Wiggly in Rosedale, which was managed by Vinson for two years before he became a partial owner in 2012 and officially bought the business in 2019, has been the go to place for meat for many in Bolivar County for years, according to Vinson.
“We’re starting to see a lot of our loyal customers from Cleveland that have always come to Rosedale for steaks, since the distance is shortened by 10 miles,” said Vinson. “I’m seeing those folks and even more newer folks coming over from Cleveland and surrounding areas to get ribeyes, T-bones, and fillets.”
Vinson said the quality of meat has changed so “tremendously” that his certified butcher, Clemens Bass, has commented that the meat is ten times better since the transition happened.
“So everybody in the community and the folks that have come and shopped with us are very well pleased with the quality of meat that we provide,” said Vinson. “There’s a wide variety offered, but if I don’t have it, I will work with my multiple vendors and my warehouse to try to find anything and everything that someone is looking for.”
According to Vinson, even some of the chefs in the area have reached out to him for specific things.
“We are a full scale butcher shop that provides all kinds of different varieties of beef, pork, chicken, and whatever else a customer is looking for,” said Vinson. “If it’s out there and I can get it, I’ll take care of it. I’ve even ordered stuff from JetFresh Foods, which is a company that flies in products from all over the world. As long as you order enough, I can get anything from truffles to sea cucumbers. If I have the demand for it, I will get it and carry it.”
Apart from the meat department, Vinson said he sources his milk locally from Denton’s Dairy and the quality of his produce is better because he is a member of the Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), which is a better warehouse in his opinion.
The deli that had been closed by the previous owners has also been reopened since Vinson took over. Vinson said most of the kitchen equipment needed to be cleaned and he brought in CP House to service many of the appliances.
Currently the deli is open 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and he plans to begin posting the daily menus on Facebook soon. Vinson said if you don’t see the menu on Facebook, you are welcome to call the store at (662)756-2825 to see what they will be offering on any given day.
“We’re only doing lunch Monday through Friday for now,” said Vinson.
Vinson said he is also working with the Nehi Bottling Company to get a fountain drink machine set up and he has recently purchased “a new hot deli bakery table” to keep food warm.
“Our long term goal is to actually bake fresh breads in the evening for our shoppers,” said Vinson. “They will be able to pick up fresh garlic bread, french breads, and whatnot, hopefully in the near future.”
Because Vinson is a member of the AWG, he said he is able to take advantage of the temporary price reduction program they offer.
“My warehouse, AWG, spends a lot of time, money, and effort working with vendors such as Kraft, Procter & Gamble, Velveeta, and Del Monte,” said Vinson. “These companies provide our warehouse with temporary price reductions. So what we do when we are able to get price reductions is pass those on to the customer.”
Vinson said he then puts a hanger on the shelf space in front of the tag to show the customer what they are saving compared to what they would be spending somewhere else.
Overall, Vinson said his goal is to increase the volume of customers coming and going from the store. He hopes that customers find that they can get everything they need “by coming to a smaller, independent grocer that is owned by a local veteran”.
“I hope they realize that it’s easier to stop in Piggly Wiggly on the way home than to go through all the red lights and Cleveland traffic to get their groceries,” said Vinson. “We have a lot less square footage to walk and they can get everything they need here before heading home for the night.”
By providing them with a great service and high quality products at great prices, Vinson said he is sure the local customers will continue to help the Ruleville Piggly Wiggly grow.
If there is anything you don’t find in the store and would like to see on the shelves or if you have any other suggests for the store, please let the staff know or direct message the Facebook account. Vinson said he will do his best to take care of any requests or concerns anyone brings to his attention as quickly as possible.
“I just want their business and would be happy and hear their input about anything that I can do to improve, earn, and keep their business,” said Vinson. “We’re a locally owned community store and we just want local business. We want to see everybody enjoy the fruits of our labor and the great quality services and products we provide.”
The Ruleville Piggly Wiggly is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
“Unfortunately in our workforce today,” said Vinson. “I’m always looking for good, honest, productive, and dependable help. That’s from a stocker and cashier all the way to management.”
If you would like to be considered for a position, Vinson said you can drop your resume off with the office personnel.
Vinson said to like and follow, “Piggly Wiggly-Ruleville”, on Facebook for weekly savings and future updates.
“Come to Ruleville and save,” said Vinson. “Make the drive and see what we have to offer.”