Meijer

Meijer was founded as Meijer's in Greenville, Michigan, in 1934 by Hendrik Meijer, a Dutch immigrant. Meijer was a local barber who entered the grocery business during the Great Depression. His first employees included his 14-year-old son, Frederik Meijer, who later became chairman of the company. The current co-chairmen, brothers Hank and Doug Meijer, are Hendrik's grandsons. After studying trends in the grocery industry, Meijer was among the first stores to offer self-service shopping and shopping carts. He also offered staple items, such as vinegar, at bargain prices.{{sfn|Meijer|1984}}

The Greenville store was successful and additional Meijer groceries were opened in Cedar Springs (1942) and Ionia (1946). The first Grand Rapids store opened on South Division Avenue in 1949.{{sfn|Meijer|1984|p=20}} By the 1960s, the company had over two dozen stores located throughout West Michigan.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In 1962 Meijer launched its modern format with a store at the corner of 28th Street and Kalamazoo Avenue in Grand Rapids called "Thrifty Acres." At a size of {{convert|180000|ft2}},'Discount Merchandiser Magazine, July 1986 issue, page 61, info on first Thrifty Acres store' it combined grocery shopping and department store shopping in a single large store. The store was built with {{convert|6|in|mm|-thick|adj=mid|spell=in}} floors, so should the concept fail, the nongrocery half could be converted into an indoor car dealership. New stores were built in the same manner until the mid-1970s, when an architect mentioned the extra cost to management.{{sfn|Meijer|1984}} This was followed by the first Mid-Michigan location in Delta Charter Township in 1966. Meijer expanded into Southeast Michigan in the early 1970s, beginning with a store in Ypsilanti in 1972 followed by their first Metro Detroit location in Canton in 1974. Meijer expanded into Northern Michigan with a location in Traverse City in 1977.{{cite web|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/traverse-city-record-eagle-may-21-1977-p-67/|title=Traverse City Record Eagle Archives, May 21, 1977, p. 67|website=newspaperarchive.com|date=May 21, 1977|language=en|access-date=January 29, 2019}}

Fred Meijer took over the company upon his father's death in 1964. Under his leadership, the Thrifty Acres stores became a success and were renamed Meijer in 1986. Meijer's stand-alone grocery operations continued until the early 1990s, as the larger stores became dominant. In 1985 Forbes magazine reported Walmart at the time had failed in what were then known as hypermarkets because Sam Walton and company did not understand the grocery business.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

Walton launched the first Hypermart USA store in 1987, opening only four stores, the last in 1990. An article in Forbes Magazine said Meijer understood the importance of the food business, and it was not something just tacked onto a discount store. The quality of the produce is very important; poor-quality produce sold by Walmart was the main reason for their lack of success. By contrast, surveys said then and now that Meijer ranks high on produce quality.Forbes Magazine, February 13, 1995 issue, page 55, "Squeezing the Tomatoes"

File:MeijerSouthgateInterior.jpg, which opened in 1994. Since the photograph was taken, the store has been renovated.]]

During the mid-1990s, Meijer expanded to three additional states. The first location in Indiana opened on Grape Road in Mishawaka on April 19, 1994, followed by the first Illinois store in Champaign (Store #146) on April 4, 1995.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115253572/meijer-plans-to-open-grape-road-store/|title=Meijer plans to open Grape Road store on April 19|date=31 March 1994|work=The South Bend Tribune}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61485301/new-superstores-shaking-up-economy/|title=New superstores shaking up economy around Champaign|date=6 April 1995|work=The Times}} In 1996, the first regular Kentucky Meijer location in Florence opened, along with four nearby locations in Ohio which were Fairfield, Loveland, West Chester and Eastgate North Drive in Cincinnati.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61240235/meijer-hyperstores-boost-competition-in/|title=Meijer hyperstores boost competition in Southwest Ohio|publisher=The Cincinnati Enquirer}} This also marked the chain's reentry into that state. Two more Kentucky locations would open on Paul Jones Way in Lexington and Towne Center Drive in Louisville in 1997. In 1998 three new Meijer locations opened in the Louisville area on Dixie Highway, Preston Highway and South Hurstbourne Parkway.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

The first Meijer location in the Northwest Indiana region opened in August 1997 in Michigan City.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-grocery-experience-serves-chai/130834384/|title=Grocery experience serves chain well in competitive market|date=18 May 1997|work=The Times}} Following this, the Merrillville location opened to the public on August 4, 1998, while the Highland location officially opened on April 20, 1999.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61240053/hordes-at-the-meijer-doors/|title=Hordes at the Meijer doors|date=5 August 1998|work=The Times}}{{cite news |last=Porta |first=Sharon |date=21 April 1999 |title=Meijer store opens in Highland |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30604977/the-times/ |work=The Times}} The first Meijer location in the Chicago region opened on August 3, 1999, on Weber Road in Bolingbrook.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-shoppers-buy-into-grand/61240105/|title=Shoppers buy into grand opening|date=5 August 1999|work=Chicago Tribune}} A year later in 2000, three Illinois Meijer locations would open in Aurora, St. Charles and Springfield. Another Meijer store in Bolingbrook opened on Boughton Road by The Promenade in May 2002, three years after the Weber Road location.{{cite news |last=Mannion |first=Annemarie |date=2 March 2002 |title=Billboard no obstacle to road work |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61242873/billboard-no-obstacle-to-road-work/ |work=Chicago Tribune}}

File:Meijer Old Logo.svg

With the increasing dominance of Walmart throughout the country during the 1990s and up to the present, Meijer is facing the effects of an intensely competitive retail industry. In late 2003 the company laid off 350 people from the corporate offices, distribution centers and field offices; a few months later, in January 2004, Meijer laid off 1,896 employees and managerial staff,{{cite web | publisher=MiBiz.com| title=Meijer cuts deep | url=http://www.mibiz.com/absolutenm/templates/template.asp?articleid=1313&zoneid=33| date=February 9, 2004 | access-date=August 15, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928145853/http://www.mibiz.com/absolutenm/templates/template.asp?articleid=1313&zoneid=33 |archive-date = September 28, 2007}} leading to speculation that the company was losing profitability and market share. A marketing professor, Dr. Ben Rudolph of Grand Valley State University near Meijer's corporate headquarters, lambasted this move, saying they "apparently blinked" and that Meijer's "decision was driven by panic".{{cite web | publisher=MiBiz.com| title=Why did Meijer blink? | url=http://www.mibiz.com/absolutenm/templates/coltemplate.asp?articleid=281&zoneid=45| date=January 12, 2004 | access-date=August 15, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928145833/http://www.mibiz.com/absolutenm/templates/coltemplate.asp?articleid=281&zoneid=45 |archive-date = September 28, 2007}} Continuing cutbacks in 2006, the company outsourced 81 information technology positions to India.{{cite web|publisher=planetoutsourcing.org |title=Meijer outsourcing jobs to India |url=http://www.planetoutsourcing.org/entry/meijer-outsouricng-jobs-to-india/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060617204455/http://www.planetoutsourcing.org/entry/meijer-outsouricng-jobs-to-india/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 17, 2006 |date=February 10, 2006 |access-date=August 15, 2007 }}

In 2003, the company announced that all new Meijer stores would feature an entirely new format and company image, complete with a new logo intended to make the Meijer stores seem "friendly" and inviting. The company hired New York City's Rockwell Group to redesign the existing stores and establish a design for new stores. The "new theatrics" for the then-71-year-old company originally started as a "new product introduction program" until David Rockwell talked Hank and Fred Meijer into further changes. Rockwell told the Meijers the new introduction program would "work only if it was part of a new overall creative foundation based on a fresher, younger approach, encompassing architecture, interior design and graphic design".{{cite web|publisher=Rockwellgroup.com and Display and Design Ideas Magazine |title=500 A full stage presence: Rockwell Group takes a fresh approach to Meijer supercenters |url=http://www.rockwellgroup.com/pdfs/ddi052005.pdf |date=May 2005 |access-date=August 16, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926063926/http://www.rockwellgroup.com/pdfs/ddi052005.pdf |archive-date=September 26, 2007 }} In 2005, despite cutbacks, Meijer embarked on an expansion plan to increase its number of stores in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio. In April 2003 Meijer selected DeVito/Verdi, an award-winning advertising agency in New York, to handle its $25 million account.[https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/meijer-stores-pick-devito-verdi-63156/ "Meijer Stores Pick DeVito Verdi"], Adweek, April 3, 2003, retrieved June 17, 2009

In May 2007, the first LEED-certified Meijer store opened in the second phase of the Fairlane Green development in Allen Park, Michigan. In July 2007 Meijer announced to the Michigan press it would be "restructuring" its Team Leader management positions in all 181 stores, stating layoffs would be "minimal" and necessary "to handle more sophisticated products such as flat-screen TVs and high-priced wines". Their spokesperson also said the changes were "not about a labor reduction", but fitting people into the right roles. No corporate staff or hourly workers were directly affected.{{cite web | publisher=mlive.com and Muskegon Chronicle| title=Meijer restructures jobs for store managers | url=http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2007/07/meijer_restructures_duties_for.html| date=July 11, 2007 | access-date=August 15, 2007 }} In August 2007, the store announced they were cutting about 500 managers (12% of existing management staff). The 500 were given severance packages, while other managers were transferred to other stores or "reassigned to different positions".{{cite web | publisher=Wzzm13.com| title=500 Meijer Managers get cut across midwest | url=http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=79186| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209161050/http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=79186| url-status=dead| archive-date=2013-02-09|date=August 2007 | access-date=August 16, 2007 }}{{cite web|publisher=Progressivegrocer.com |title=500 Meijer Eliminates 500 Store Manager Positions |url=http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003624849 |date=August 2007 |access-date=August 16, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817164308/http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003624849 |archive-date=August 17, 2007 }}

In 2009, the chain announced a new concept in the Chicago region called Meijer Marketplace which comprises smaller stores that focus more on grocery items and pharmacy.{{cite web|last=Michigan Set your local edition |url=http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2009/06/meijer_scales_back_format_for.html |title=Meijer scales back format for grocery-focused store near Chicago |publisher=MLive.com |date= June 25, 2009|access-date=November 14, 2012}} Four such stores were eventually opened, in Niles (2010), Orland Park (2010), Melrose Park (2011) and Berwyn (2012). The Niles store closed on June 18, 2016. The Melrose Park and Berwyn stores closed on June 17, 2017 (the Berwyn store space now houses Tony's Fresh Market, which had relocated from its previous location at the former Dominick's store in North Riverside in 2018), leaving the Orland Park store as the last remaining small-format Meijer in operation.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-meijer-melrose-park-berwyn-closing-0322-biz-20170321-story.html |title=Meijer to close two Chicago-area stores |date=March 21, 2017 |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=November 15, 2017}}

On November 25, 2011, Frederik Meijer died at the age of 91. In 2013, Meijer opened its 200th supercenter in Swartz Creek, Michigan.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

File:- Gateway Marketplace Meijer.jpg Meijer store, opened in 2013 as the first Meijer to open within the city of Detroit]]

Meijer opened its first store within the city of Detroit, located in the Gateway Marketplace development, on July 25, 2013, and its second location within the city, located on the site of the former Redford High School at Grand River Avenue and McNichols Road, on June 11, 2015. Meijer opened its first locations in Wisconsin in June 2015. To help promote itself in Wisconsin, Meijer purchased a distribution center in Pleasant Prairie from SuperValu in 2012, and placed an advertisement along the outfield wall of Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, in 2014 in anticipation of the company's expansion into Wisconsin.{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/mlb/photos?gameId=340413108&photoId=3771072|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415214907/http://espn.go.com/mlb/photos?gameId=340413108&photoId=3771072|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2014|title=Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Photos - April 13, 2014 - ESPN|work=ESPN.com|access-date=April 18, 2015}}

In 2014, Meijer expanded into their southern-most store, Bowling Green, Kentucky, with a new development in the growing Gary Farms retail corridor.{{cite web|title=Meijer opens Westpark Drive store|url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/meijer-opens-westpark-drive-store/article_a4571618-fc7e-53ea-ac33-0e46aa2aaddd.html|website=Bowling Green Daily News|date=June 5, 2014 |access-date=June 5, 2014|language=en}} Meijer's parking lot also includes a Tesla supercharger.{{cite web|title=Tesla Supercharger Bowling Green KY|url=https://www.tesla.com/findus/location/supercharger/bowlinggreensupercharger|website=Tesla|access-date=June 5, 2014|language=en}}

In 2014, Meijer was the first retailer to accept both Apple Pay and CurrentC for purchases in its stores and gas stations despite possible penalties from Merchant Customer Exchange for accepting Apple Pay.{{cite news |last1=Colt |first1=Sam |date=October 30, 2014 |title=Meijer Becomes The First Retailer To Accept Both CurrentC And Apple Pay |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/meijer-is-the-first-retailer-to-accept-currentc-and-apple-pay-2014-10 |access-date=January 22, 2015 |agency=Business Insider}}{{cite news |last1=Martinez |first1=Shandra |date=October 29, 2014 |title=Why Meijer isn't ditching Apple Pay like other retailers |url=http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2014/10/why_meijer_isnt_ditching_apple.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215075534/http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2014/10/why_meijer_isnt_ditching_apple.html |archive-date=February 15, 2015 |access-date=January 22, 2015 |agency=MLive}}

Meijer bought the largely vacant Memorial Mall in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, in March 2015. Much of the existing structure was demolished, and replaced with a new store in April 2019.{{cite news|title=Meijer buys Memorial Mall in Sheboygan|url=http://www.wisn.com/news/meijer-buys-memorial-mall-in-sheboygan/31922472|access-date=March 21, 2015|publisher=WISN-TV|date=March 20, 2015}}

In 2017–2018 Meijer expanded into the Northeastern Wisconsin market with stores in Howard and Grand Chute.{{cite web|title=The Buzz: Meijer update|url=http://www.postcrescent.com/story/money/companies/buzz/2017/11/14/buzz-meijer-update/860228001/|website=Post-Crescent Media|access-date=November 14, 2017|language=en}} The Howard location serves Green Bay with the Grand Chute location serving Appleton and the Fox Cities.{{Cite news |url=https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/2018/05/17/meijer-appleton-opens-grand-chute/618853002/ |title=Meijer is finally open. Here's what Fox Cities shoppers think of the new store |work=Post-Crescent Media |access-date=May 18, 2018 |language=en}}{{cite web|url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/money/2016/03/03/meijer-green-bay-area-not-until-2017/81272140/ |title=Meijer in Green Bay area? Not until 2017 |publisher=Greenbaypressgazette.com |date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=November 15, 2017}} Meijer also opened their first stores in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2017 with stores in Escanaba and Sault Ste. Marie, later adding a third location in Marquette.{{cite web | url=https://apnews.com/general-news-3709738c46754348ace2993c76a0ab09 | title=Meijer to open its 1st stores in Michigan's Upper Peninsula | website=Associated Press News | date=March 4, 2017 }}

In 2019, Meijer expanded into the Cleveland–Akron market with stores in Stow,{{cite web |last=Schleis |first=Paula |title=Meijer grocery store could be coming to former Stow-Kent Plaza instead of residential neighborhood |url=http://www.ohio.com/news/local/meijer-grocery-store-could-be-coming-to-former-stow-kent-plaza-instead-of-residential-neighborhood-1.540410 |access-date=April 18, 2015 |work=ohio.com}} Mentor,{{cite web|url=http://www.news-herald.com/article/HR/20160920/NEWS/160929958 |title=Meijer to move ahead in Mentor once Kmart closes |publisher=News-herald.com |date=September 20, 2016 |access-date=November 15, 2017}} and Avon.{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/avon/index.ssf/2015/03/meijers_superstore_could_be_coming_to_avon.html|title=Meijer superstore could be coming to Avon|work=cleveland.com|date=March 20, 2015|access-date=April 18, 2015}} Meijer also expanded into the Youngstown area with a store in Boardman, Ohio, in 2020{{cite web|url=https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/boardman-trustees-give-meijer-the-green-light-to-build-along-224/1318396961|title=Boardman trustees give Meijer the green light to build along 224|first=Stan|last=Boney|date=July 24, 2018|website=WKBN}} as well as Austintown.{{cite web|url=http://wkbn.com/2015/08/26/meijer-could-be-coming-to-austintown/|title=Meijer could be coming to Austintown|work=WKBN-TV}}

In June 2024, Meijer was reported to be scouting the Western Pennsylvania region, including Pittsburgh, for a possible expansion. Such a move would mark Meijer's first presence in Pennsylvania as a whole.{{cite web | url=https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/major-retailer-meijer-could-be-eyeing-entry-pittsburgh-market | title=Major Retailer Meijer Could be Eyeing Entry into Pittsburgh Market | date=June 2024 }}

File:Meijer (Lancaster, Ohio) 1.jpg on U.S. Route 33 Business, which opened in 1995. This store has since been extensively remodeled.]]

File:Meijer-33.jpg

Meijer stores are classified as supercenters or hypermarkets (a superstore that combines groceries and department store goods in the same store). Most stores (about 80%) also feature an adjacent Meijer Express fuel station and convenience stores. Several Meijer Express fuel stations feature Top Tier Detergent fuel, diesel fuel,{{cite news | title=Meijer Gas Stations | url=https://www.cspdailynews.com/top-202-convenience-stores-2024/meijer-gas-stations | work=CSPDailyNews | date=April 4, 2025 | accessdate=April 2, 2024}} and alternative fuels such as E85, biodiesel and compressed natural gas as well as electric vehicle charging stations.{{cite web | url=https://help.meijer.com/s/article/Can-I-charge-my-electric-vehicle-at-Meijer | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115063911/https://help.meijer.com/s/article/Can-I-charge-my-electric-vehicle-at-Meijer | archive-date=January 15, 2021 | title=S - Google Index Redirect Handler }}

Meijer has 259 stores in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, northern and central Illinois, and Northern Kentucky. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most Meijer stores were open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year, closing only at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and reopening at 6 a.m. on December 26. After the COVID-19 pandemic, most Meijer stores are open from 6am to midnight every day. In 2013 Meijer ranked No. 19 in Forbes list of top 20 Private Companies.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In addition to the original Meijer supermarkets and hypermarkets, Meijer opened several concept stores in the 1970s and 1980s. The first were specialty clothing store chains called Copper Rivet, Sagebrush and Casual Court. Each store focused on a different form of brand-name clothing: Copper Rivet sold Levi's jeans, Sagebrush sold casual wear, and Casual Court sold women's clothing. All three chains usually operated in front of existing Meijer stores, or in nearby shopping centers. Casual Court was renamed Tansy in 1982.{{cite news | title=What's A Tansy? | url=http://archive.cantonpl.org/observer/1982/06_Jun%201982/06-03-1982.pdf | work=Canton Observer | date=June 3, 1982 | accessdate=May 13, 2022 | pages=5B}} These clothing chains were dissolved in the 1980s as brand-name clothing became more readily available at competing retailers. Sagebrush, which at its peak comprised 71 stores,{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n24_v27/ai_6917794 |title=Longtime super store Meijer poised for growth after completion of DC - distribution center |access-date=November 16, 2007 |date=December 19, 1988 |work=Discount Store News}} was sold off in 1988, while Copper Rivet and Tansy stores were closed as their leases expired.

In 1980, Meijer began a discount pharmacy chain called Spaar (from the Dutch word for "save"), which opened four stores in 1980 in former Meijer supermarket locations. The Spaar stores were sold to Pontiac, Michigan-based Perry Drug Stores by the mid-1980s.Hank Meijer, p. 244

One year after launching the Spaar brand, in 1981, Meijer began opening Meijer Square stores, which were traditional discount department stores lacking a full grocery section. Fourteen locations of Buffalo, New York-based Twin Fair, predominantly in southwestern Ohio, were bought and converted to the Meijer Square name. Two Meijer Square stores were also opened in Michigan.{{cite news |date=February 20, 1981 |title=Meijer Inc. to buy 14 stores |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/204775840/ |access-date=June 1, 2017 |work=Battle Creek Enquirer |page=C1}} The Ohio locations were largely sold to Zayre and Hills. Meijer returned to Cincinnati and soon Kentucky in May 1996, after both Hills and Ames had closed all of their Ohio stores.{{cite news | publisher=Findarticles.com | title=Meijer to re-enter Cincy after Hills, Ames exit | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3092/is_n12_v30/ai_10889657| date=June 17, 1991 | access-date=March 23, 2007 | first=Richard C. | last=Halverson}}

Meijer opened its first warehouse club store, SourceClub, in 1992. The concept proved unsuccessful in competition against Sam's Club and Costco, and all seven SourceClub stores were closed in 1994. The location in Fraser, Michigan, was converted to a regular Meijer store, while the rest were shuttered or sold off.

File:Meijer Capital City Market.jpg in 2021]]

In 2018, Meijer opened Bridge Street Market, a {{convert|37000|sqft|sqm|adj=on|abbr=off|sp=us}} concept grocery store in Grand Rapids.{{Cite web |last=McVicar |first=Brian |date=2018-08-13 |title=Meijer announces opening day for Bridge Street Market |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2018/08/meijer_announces_opening_day_f_1.html |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=mlive |language=en}} It was followed by four similar markets: Woodward Corner Market in Royal Oak, Michigan (2020);{{Cite web |last=Selasky |first=Susan |date=2020-01-27 |title=Woodward Corner Market opens today: Here's what to expect |url=https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2020/01/27/6-things-know-meijers-woodward-corner-market/4568954002/ |access-date= |website=Detroit Free Press |publisher=Gannett |language=en-US}} Capital City Market in Lansing (2020);{{Cite web |last=Ashley |first=Skyler |date=2020-10-12 |title=Take a look inside Meijer's Capital City Market |url=https://www.lansingcitypulse.com/stories/take-a-look-inside-meijers-capital-city-market,15064 |access-date= |website=City Pulse |language=en}} Rivertown Market in Detroit (2021);{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Michelle |date=2021-10-14 |title=Here's a peek inside Meijer's new Rivertown Market in Detroit |url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/live-in-the-d/2021/10/14/heres-a-peek-inside-meijers-new-rivertown-market-in-detroit/ |access-date= |website=WDIV |language=en}} Fairfax Market in Cleveland (2024);{{Cite web |date=2024-01-16 |title=Meijer Opens Fairfax Market in Cleveland Innovation District |url=https://newsroom.meijer.com/2024-01-16-Meijer-Opens-Fairfax-Market-in-Cleveland-Innovation-District |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=Meijer |language=en}} and Independence Market in Independence Township, Michigan (2025).{{Cite web |last=Powers |first=Sara |date=2025-03-26 |title=Meijer to open new neighborhood market in Oakland County |url=https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2025/03/26/meijer-to-open-new-neighborhood-market-in-oakland-county/ |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=WDIV |language=en}}

File:Meijer Grocery Lake Orion.jpg

Introduced in 2023, Meijer Grocery is a standard-sized grocery store concept. The first two locations, in Lake Orion and Macomb Township, Michigan, opened on January 26, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Selasky |first=Susan |date=2023-01-26 |title=New Meijer Grocery stores now open in Lake Orion, Macomb |url=https://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2023/01/26/meijer-new-grocery-stores-lake-orion-macomb/69845138007/ |access-date= |website=Detroit Free Press |publisher=Gannett |language=en-US}} A third location opened in Noblesville, Indiana on July 11, 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-03 |title=A Look Inside the 1st Meijer Grocery in Indiana: EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS |url=https://progressivegrocer.com/look-inside-1st-meijer-grocery-indiana-exclusive-photos |access-date= |website=Progressive Grocer |language=en}}

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File:Fresh Thyme - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch.jpg in 2023]]

{{anchor|Fresh Thyme}}

During the 2010s, Meijer appeared to control or own the regional organic food supermarket chain Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, but official records were not very clear about the relationship between the two companies.{{cite news |last= |date=October 28, 2016 |title=Fresh Thyme brand is Meijer's quiet entry into high-end grocery market |website=Michigan Radio |url=https://www.michiganradio.org/post/fresh-thyme-brand-meijer-s-quiet-entry-high-end-grocery-market}}{{cite news |last=Manes |first=Nick |date=October 16, 2016 |title=Fresh Thyme Farmers Market as Meijer skunkworks? |website=MiBiz |url=https://mibiz.com/item/24104-fresh-thyme-farmers-market-as-meijer-skunkworks}}{{cite news |last= |date=April 3, 2019 |title=Inside Fresh Thyme: A Whole Foods-Trader Joe's hybrid, seeded with Meijer money |website=Booth Newspapers |url=https://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/2014/08/new_retailer_is_cross_between.html}}{{cite news |url=https://www.mashed.com/814127/the-untold-truth-of-meijer/ |title=The Untold Truth Of Meijer |first=Holly |last=Riddle |date=March 28, 2022 |work=Mashed.com}} In 2021, the organic food supermarket chain began to offer a "broad assortment of Meijer branded items".{{cite news |url=https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-financial/fresh-thyme-market-seeks-out-hyperlocal-products-its-upcoming-concept-store |title=Fresh Thyme Market seeks out hyperlocal products for its upcoming concept store |first=Michael |last=Browne |date=July 6, 2021 |work=Supermarket News}}

In April 2014, Fresh Thyme founder Chris Sherrell opened the first store in his chain in Mount Prospect, Illinois.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-xpm-2014-04-23-ct-fresh-thyme-mount-prospect-tl-nw-20140423-story.html |title=Fresh Thyme Farmers Market opens in Mount Prospect |first=Sally |last=Ho |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=April 23, 2014}} Two months later, Fresh Thyme open its first Indiana store in Indianapolis.{{cite news |url=https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/johnson-county/2014/06/15/southside-shoppers-pack-fresh-thymes-first-indiana-store/10499425/ |title=Southside shoppers pack Fresh Thyme's first Indiana store |first=Vic |last=Ryckaert |date=June 15, 2014 |newspaper=Indianapolis Star}} The opening of the first store in Ohio followed in July in Columbus.{{cite news |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2014/07/17/fresh-thyme-s-sawmill-store/23343401007/ |title=Fresh Thyme's Sawmill store to open Aug. 13 offering natural foods, beauty products |newspaper=The Columbus Dispatch |date=July 17, 2014}} By the end of 2014, the chain had nine stores in the Midwest.

By January 2024, Fresh Thyme had 70 stores across 10 Midwestern states.{{cite news |url=https://www.supermarketnews.com/news/fresh-thyme-market-features-local-products-naturally-chicago |title=Fresh Thyme Market features local products via Naturally Chicago |first=Timothy |last=Inklebarger |date=January 26, 2024 |work=Supermarket News}}

In 2006, Meijer donated to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to create the paid position called the Frederik Meijer Chair of Dutch Language and Culture. The previous chair was unpaid. Its purpose is to promote interest in the Netherlands and Michigan's Dutch cultural heritage.{{cite web|url=http://www.calvin.edu/academic/dutch/meijer/|title=Frederik Meijer Chair in Dutch Language and Culture|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206173027/http://www.calvin.edu/academic/dutch/meijer/|archive-date=February 6, 2007}}

Meijer is the title sponsor of the Meijer LPGA Classic, an annual women's professional golf tournament held near Grand Rapids.{{Cite web |last=Nothaft |first=Patrick |date=2025-05-14 |title=Past champions set to headline field at 2025 Meijer LPGA Classic |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2025/05/past-champions-set-to-headline-field-at-2025-meijer-lpga-classic.html |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=MLive |language=en}}

Meijer is the official grocery sponsor of the Detroit Lions, Detroit Red Wings, and Detroit Tigers.{{Cite web |last=Woods |first=Kory |date=2024-07-23 |title=Lions and Meijer announce enhanced partnership, unveiling new naming rights |url=https://www.mlive.com/lions/2024/07/lions-and-meijer-announce-enhanced-partnership-unveiling-new-naming-rights.html |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=MLive |language=en}} Since the 2021–22 NHL season, Meijer's logo has been featured on the Red Wings' helmets;{{Cite web |last=St. James |first=Helene |date=2021-09-15 |title=Detroit Red Wings to advertise Meijer on helmets this season |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2021/09/15/detroit-red-wings-meijer-helmets-sponsorship/8347465002/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Detroit Free Press}} and since the 2023 MLB season, Meijer has advertised on the Tigers' jerseys.{{Cite web |last=Petzold |first=Evan |date=2023-05-20 |title=Detroit Tigers add Meijer logo patch onto iconic Old English D jerseys |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2023/05/25/detroit-tigers-jerseys-meijer-patch/70254868007/ |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}} Meijer also owns the naming rights to the Lions' training center.

Meijer also sponsors the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Guardians.{{Cite web |last=Sackor |first=Mercy |date=2024-09-21 |title=Browns host Gym Class Takeover at Shoreview Elementary |url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/browns-host-gym-class-takeover-at-shoreview-elementary |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=News 5 Cleveland WEWS |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2020-04-07 |title=Cleveland Indians, Meijer, Dunkin' donate over 160,000 meals to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank |url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-cleveland-indians-meijer-dunkin-donate-over-160-000-meals-to-the-g |access-date=2025-05-20 |website=Major League Baseball |language=en}}

{{More citations needed|section|date=July 2021}}

File:Meijer Pineapple.jpg which opened in 1994.]]

File:Polished Concrete 1.JPG, which opened in 2009. The store was renovated in 2021.]]

File:Meijer (Lincoln Park, Michigan) 1.jpg which opened in 2004 in a building that was originally a Super Kmart, in 2017]]

Meijer stores are typically designed with the supermarket section to one side and the general merchandise section to the other side. The chain's stores are almost always constructed from the ground up, with very few Meijer stores having been converted from other retailers. Exceptions include the:

• Lincoln Park, Michigan and Portage, Indiana stores, both of which were former Super Kmart stores, though the latter was significantly renovated during conversion to Meijer and the former would also receive a significant renovation in 2021
• Traverse City, Michigan store, a former Grant City store which closed in 1977, and has since undergone significant renovations,{{Cite web |title=A Look At (Some Of) Traverse City's Iconic Buildings |url=https://www.traverseticker.com/news/a-look-at-some-of-traverse-citys-iconic-buildings/ |access-date=2023-05-24 |website=The Ticker {{!}} Traverse City News & Events}} most recently in 2023
• Sterling Heights, Michigan, the former location on Metropolitan Parkway (which relocated to Madison Heights, Michigan, in 2002, and was subsequently demolished for Target and Lowe's stores), which was also a former Grant City,
• Fraser, Michigan, which Meijer converted from its failed SourceClub concept store
• Newark, Ohio (which closed in 2013 and was subsequently converted into a Kroger Marketplace store), which was one of the stores Meijer purchased from Twin Fair.

Some stores built in the 1960s and 1970s, including a since-demolished location on Pierson Road in Mount Morris Township, Michigan (which marked the chain's entry into the Flint market in 1972), included a balcony, containing service tenants such as a barber shop and nail salon. During the late 1990s, McDonald's restaurants also operated inside Meijer stores, primarily in those with balconies, though some locations without balconies like Taylor, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; Wyoming, Michigan, and the location on Alexis Road in Toledo, Ohio, also had McDonald's locations; in addition, the first stores in the Detroit area featured a short-lived fast food concept called Thrifty's Kitchen, which also operated a standalone location in front of the Meijer on Alpine Avenue in Walker.{{cite web|url=http://www.dbusiness.com/May-June-2009/Hank-Meijer/#.VLA_c2TF98s|title=Hank Meijer|work=dbusiness.com|date=April 28, 2009|access-date=April 18, 2015}} Most stores feature a sit-down café, while some also feature a Starbucks coffee shop or a Subway restaurant. Stores built between 1989 and 1993 featured a curved wall of windows that ran along the area between the entrances, examples include many early locations in Ohio and the Midland, Michigan store (many of these such stores have since been renovated into the current exterior design described below).

File:Meijer (St. Charles, Illinois) 1.jpg

File:Meijer Sterling Heights, MI 7 (34405325112).jpg

Early in the 1990s, Meijer developed new integrated prototypes for their rollouts. One example was the "whimsical" design prototype introduced with the 1994 expansion into Indiana. Different shapes and roofing designs created the facade of the building. Most notable was the yellow pineapple constructed from yellow ceramic brick and glass blocks. The different shapes on the facade were to introduce Meijer to Indiana as a "store of discovery".{{cn|date=October 2024}}

Also notable was the use of a large translucent wall above the grand concourse facing the registers. This allowed natural light to filter into the area above the registers without actual windows. Another feature of these stores was the introduction of grey concrete panels and silver framing on windows and doors. Slight variations of this prototype were also introduced with the 1995 expansion into Illinois and the 1996 reentry into Kentucky.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

On August 5, 1997, the store in Fort Gratiot Township, Michigan, debuted a new prototype that evolved out of the mid-1990s prototype. This was the Presidential prototype, in which the logo was moved to the center of the building. Later Meijer stores of this design introduced the Meijer Fresh logo with the then-current Meijer logo and a large cursive "Fresh" on the right of the Meijer name. Most of these signs have since been phased out in favor of the current logo, with the lower-case "meijer" (in red) with blue dots over the 'i' and 'j'. In the year 2000 the Presidential prototype was replaced with the Village Square prototype, which featured fake storefronts running across the front of the building and a barn-like section on which the Meijer logo was situated. That prototype, however, was soon replaced by the Signature Series prototype, which removed the fake storefronts, which itself was replaced in the mid-2000s with the current prototype, which features emphasis on the entrances, which feature towering glass walls with a tilted roof, resulting in an "eyebrow" appearance.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

File:Meijer Cascade.jpg

Meijer was the first retailer to launch the "supermarket" or "superstore" in the U.S., combining a multitude of merchandise under one roof, when they opened the first Thrifty Acres in 1962.Discount Merchandiser Magazine, July 1986, History 1962 - Founding of Thrifty Acres and Kmart Meijer describes itself as a grocery chain that added general merchandise to their grocery stores in 1962.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In February 2007, Meijer was involved in an effort to recall the elected officials of Acme Township in Grand Traverse County, because of the officials' reluctance to allow a new store along M-72 within the rural township east of Traverse City. Meijer retained Seyferth, Spaulding and Tennyson, a Grand Rapids public relations firm, to help orchestrate the recall effort.

Records indicate the PR firm retained by Meijer had arranged a meeting with a small nonprofit organization which favored the Meijer store, but had not yet formally taken a position on the recall. With the persuasion of the PR firm, the organization, known as the "Acme Taxpayers for Responsible Government", formed a recall committee and began to promote the recall election. Seyferth researched the plausibility of a recall, wrote justification for the recall and oversaw the agenda for the meeting with Acme Taxpayers.{{cite news |last=McGillivary |first=Brian |date=December 23, 2007 |title=Meijer's Secret Plan |url=http://www.record-eagle.com/local/local_story_357093334.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080919050907/http://www.record-eagle.com/local/local_story_357093334.html |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |access-date=November 14, 2012 |work=Traverse City Record-Eagle}} The PR firm revised the organization's website and logo, devised talking points and campaign literature, and wrote ghost letters to Traverse City newspapers. The recall committee did not disclose any of the PR firm's assistance, or its affiliation with Meijer. The company was fined $190,000 for its actions. The store eventually opened in November 2015,{{cite web |url= http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/11/controversial_acme_township_me.html|title= Controversial Meijer store opens, draws thousands|last= Martinez, Shandra|date= November 5, 2010|publisher= Mlive.com|access-date=May 28, 2016}} with thousands attending the long-awaited grand opening.{{cite web|url=http://upnorthlive.com/news/local/shopping-more-convenient-with-acme-meijer-opening|title=Thousands attend opening day of Acme Meijer|last=Scott|first=Allison|date=November 5, 2015|website=WPBN|access-date=January 29, 2019}}

Meijer scored 0% on the 2008 Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, which is a measure of how U.S. companies and businesses are treating gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees, consumers and investors. Meijer was one of only three companies out of over 500 graded to receive a score of 0.{{cite web|url=http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/general/2007/11/06/corporations-getting-more-gay-friendly.aspx |title=Corporations Getting More Gay-Friendly |publisher=Fool.com |date=November 6, 2007 |access-date=November 14, 2012}}

In 2009, Meijer's score began to increase after the company amended its nondiscrimination policy to include sexual orientation. Other retail and grocery rivals' scores are Macy's Inc. (100%), Sears Holdings Corporation (100%), Target Corporation (100%), Whole Foods Market (90%), Kroger (75%) and Walmart (40%). By 2016, Meijer had increased their score to 85%, having a similar score to its rivals.{{cite web|title=Corporate Equality Index 2016|url=http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/CEI-2016-FullReport.pdf |publisher=Human Rights Campaign|access-date=February 6, 2016}}

In 2020, Meijer's score increased to a 100% with the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, which joined 680 major U.S. businesses that also scored a 100% that year.{{cite web|title=Meijer Named a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality|url=http://newsroom.meijer.com/2020-01-23-Meijer-Named-a-Best-Place-to-Work-for-LGBTQ-Equality|website=Meijer Newsroom|language=en}}

The federal government sued Meijer on behalf of a former employee for violating her civil rights by firing her because she would not work on Sundays.{{cite web|url=http://www.crosswalk.com/1209216/ |title=Christian News, Religion Headlines Commentary |publisher=Crosswalk.com |date=July 11, 2003 |access-date=November 14, 2012}} Debra Kerkstra was fired in 2001 for refusing to work on Sunday because of religious convictions. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accused Meijer of religious discrimination, and Meijer settled the case after paying $22,000 to Kerkstra{{cite web|url=http://www.arlinc.org/newsletters/arlfall03.pdf |title=Voice of Reason |year=2003 |publisher=Arlinc.org |access-date=November 14, 2012}} and agreeing to implement procedures to prevent repeat occurrences.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

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{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{cite book |last=Meijer |first=Hank |title=Thrifty Years: The Life of Hendrik Meijer |publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company |year=1984 |isbn=978-0-8028-0038-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/thriftyyearslife00meij}}

{{commons category}}

• {{official website|https://www.meijer.com}}

{{Meijer}}

{{Supermarkets of the United States}}

Category:1934 establishments in Michigan

Category:Companies based in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Category:Companies based in Kent County, Michigan

Category:Discount stores of the United States

Category:Economy of Kentucky

Category:Economy of the Midwestern United States

Category:Supermarkets of the United States

Category:Superstores in the United States

Category:Hypermarkets of the United States

Category:Privately held companies based in Michigan

Category:Retail companies established in 1934

Category:Meijer family

Category:Family-owned companies of the United States