DDRA presents grant award to Piggly Wiggly
The Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association (DDRA) presented Piggly Wiggly with a $1,000 Incentive Improvement Grant. Pictured, from left, are DDRA Board President Rev. Rags Coxe, Darlington Piggly Wiggly owner Randy Witherspoon, Mayor Curtis Boyd and board members Terasa Lott and Dee Dee Kehl. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
As development dollars flow downtown with large projects such as the construction of the Darlington County Courthouse and Darlington County Historical Museum and multimillion-dollar expansions of Genesis Healthcare and Georgia Pacific, everyone wants to be a part of the growth in Darlington.
A local staple, the Darlington Piggly Wiggly on Pearl Street, got some of that refreshment with the building’s exterior cleaned and repainted along with touch ups to the parking lot.
The Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association recognized Darlington Piggly Wiggly’s owner Randy Witherspoon for the investment through a DDRA Incentive Improvement Grant for $1,000. He said he plans to keep the upgrades coming, making the store better for his customers and the city.
Mayor Curtis Boyd, DDRA Board President Rev. Rags Coxe, Executive Director Lisa Bailey and DDRA Board members Terasa Lott and Dee Dee Kehl thanked Witherspoon for his continued investment in Darlington during the check presentation on May 17. “We want all our businesses, big and small, to continue to build and grow their companies in Darlington,” said Coxe.
Since the grant program’s inception in 2016, the DDRA has awarded more than $16,000 in grants to 18 businesses connected to more than $200,000 in renovation work, not counting the domino effect of neighboring property owners cleaning up and painting.
“This serves the DDRA’s mission in a tangible way that people can see,” Bailey said. “As our membership and fundraisers grow, we will continue to distribute incentives to Darlington businesses to keep paying it forward.”
The DDRA’s Bringing Downtown Alive! concert series Saturdays on the Square continues the second Saturday of the month, from 7 to 10 p.m., through September with regional acts, classic cars, food trucks, vendors and more. Dates are June 11, July 9, Aug. 13 and Sept. 10. Sponsor and vendor information can be found at www.BuildUpDarlington.org/concerts.
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