▁of ▁c af eter ias , ▁another ▁relatively ▁new , ▁self - service ▁idea . ▁ ▁P ig gly ▁W ig gly ▁Corporation ▁secured ▁the ▁self - service ▁format ▁and ▁issued ▁franch ises ▁to ▁hundreds ▁of ▁gro c ery ▁ret ail ers ▁for ▁the ▁operation ▁of ▁its ▁stores . ▁The ▁concept ▁of ▁the ▁" self - ser ving ▁store " ▁was ▁pat ented ▁by ▁Sau nd ers ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁Custom ers ▁at ▁P ig gly ▁W ig gly ▁entered ▁the ▁store ▁through ▁a ▁turn st ile ▁and ▁walked ▁through ▁four ▁a is les ▁to ▁view ▁the ▁store ’ s ▁ 6 0 5 ▁items ▁sold ▁in ▁packages ▁and ▁organized ▁into ▁depart ments . ▁The ▁customers ▁selected ▁mer ch and ise ▁as ▁they ▁continued ▁through ▁the ▁ma ze ▁to ▁the ▁c ash ier . ▁Inst antly , ▁pack aging ▁and ▁brand ▁recognition ▁became ▁important ▁to ▁companies ▁and ▁consum ers . ▁ ▁P ig gly ▁W ig gly ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to : ▁provide ▁checkout ▁stands . ▁price ▁mark ▁every ▁item ▁in ▁the ▁store . ▁provide ▁sho pping ▁c arts ▁for ▁customers , ▁starting ▁in ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁in ▁Oklahoma . ▁ ▁The ▁success ▁of ▁P ig gly ▁W ig gly ▁was ▁phenomen al , ▁so ▁much ▁so ▁that ▁other ▁independent ▁and ▁chain ▁gro c ery ▁stores ▁changed ▁to ▁self - service ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁At ▁its ▁peak ▁in ▁ 1 9 3