MONROE — Six Southwest Wisconsin Piggly Wiggly grocery stores are getting a new owner.

C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., owner of the Piggly Wiggly brand, announced Thursday it is purchasing Piggly Wiggly Midwest of Sheboygan by the end of July, subject to regulatory approval.

The purchase includes Piggly Wiggly Midwest’s 11 corporate-owned stores in Southwest Wisconsin and the Chicago area, including the Boscobel, Darlington, Dodgeville, Lancaster, Monroe and Platteville stores. What is now Piggly Wiggly Midwest purchased Dick’s Supermarkets in 2001 and renamed the former Dick’s stores in 2006.

The sale does not include Tammy’s Piggly Wiggly in Galena, Zinkle’s Piggly Wiggly in Prairie du Chien and the Brodhead Piggly Wiggly, which are independently owned. C&S will continue servicing 84 independently franchised Piggly Wiggly stores in Wisconsin.

C&S is also purchasing Piggly Wiggly Midwest’s two distribution centers and corporate offices in Sheboygan and its Milwaukee distribution center.

“The purchase of Piggly Wiggly Midwest is a natural expansion of our already successful Piggly Wiggly Carolina business and reinforces our strong commitment to this beloved brand,” said Bob Palmer, C&S CEO, in a news release. “It is a well-established legend in grocery retail that is valued by customers for its competitive pricing and focus on service.”

“With more than 102 years in the rapidly changing grocery industry, the foundation of C&S’s success has been our ability to adapt and innovate ahead of market trends to better serve our customers,” said Rick Cohen, executive chairman of C&S Wholesale Grocers in a news release. “It’s this legacy that drives our unrelenting focus on innovative go-to-market strategies and customer service. We consistently review opportunities to grow and expand into new geographies, segments and services to ensure the company’s long-term success.”

“Although it has been a very difficult decision, the sale of Piggly Wiggly Midwest to C&S is a natural next step for this historic brand,” said Paul Butera Sr., president of Piggly Wiggly Midwest. “Piggly Wiggly is more than a supermarket, it is a family of franchise operators, employees and loyal Pig Point customers too. C&S has the experience and knowledge to ensure that this 100-year-old icon continues for the next 100 years.”

What became Brodbeck Enterprises Inc. opened the first Dick’s Supermarket on Main Street in Platteville in 1949. Dick’s expanded to Darlington in 1960, Dodgeville in 1968, Boscobel in 1970, and Lancaster in 1972. Dick’s opened McGregor Plaza in 1965.

Piggly Wiggly Midwest started as The Schultz Brothers Co. in 1911. Schultz Brothers became a Piggly Wiggly franchisee in 1949. Schultz purchased Sav-O Stores in 1962. Schultz Sav-O changed its name to Fresh Brands in 2001, the same year it purchased Dick’s Supermarkets. Certified Grocers Midwest, a Chicago-based cooperative, purchased Fresh Brands in 2006, 18 months before Butera, Certified’s chairman, and his family purchased the company.

Piggly Wiggly Midwest has 1,575 employees and annual revenue of $21.4 million, according to Zippia.com.

Piggly Wiggly, which claims to be the U.S.’ “first true self service grocery store” on its corporate website, started in Memphis, Tenn., in 1916. Piggly Wiggly has stores in 15 other states, including Minnesota.

According to the Piggly Wiggly corporate website, company founder Clarence Saunders never explained how he came up with the company name, though one story credits his observing from a train small pigs trying to get underneath a fence. When asked why he chose that name, Saunders reportedly said, “So people will ask that very question.”

C&S, based in Keene, N.H., services more than 7,700 independent supermarkets, chain stores, military bases and institutions with more than 137,000 separate products. C&S owns Piggly Wiggly stores in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Forbes magazine lists C&S as the country’s 11th largest privately held company, with 15,500 employees and $25.8 billion in annual revenue.