JACKSON – The property which was previously home to Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Jackson now has a new owner: Northampton County local government.

The Board of Commissioners met in a special called meeting here Wednesday morning to authorize Gary Brown, the county’s Economic Development Director, to make a bid on behalf of Northampton County. The motion stated he could bid up to $100,000 on the property with the source of those funds coming from the Economic Development Capital Project.

Commissioner Charles Tyner made the motion and Chester Deloatch seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor among the four commissioners able to attend the meeting.

Brown told the News Herald on Thursday that Northampton County’s bid of $75,000 was accepted. He said his office was in the process of pursuing potential retail tenants to occupy the space, which is located at 312 West Jefferson Street.

“The property has substantial potential,” he said.

The building originally was home to Boone’s IGA grocery store. Piggly Wiggly later leased the property from the owners for a number of years before shutting down the store in 2014. The building has been unoccupied since that time.