Meijer's New Grocery Store Debuts in January
Grand Rapids, Michigan-based mass merchant Meijer is set to open its first two Meijer Grocery stores, which were announced earlier this year. On Jan. 26, 2023, the retailer will open 75,000-90,000-square-foot stores in southeastern Michigan’s Orion and Macomb Townships.
"Orion and Macomb Townships are already very familiar with our Meijer supercenters, but we believe they will benefit from the added convenience Meijer Grocery will bring to their neighborhoods," said Don Sanderson, senior vice president of merchandising at Meijer, in a news release. "We specifically chose to launch this new store format in Southeast Michigan because we're a Michigan company that has been serving customers in Metro Detroit for decades."
Meijer Grocery is focused on “simplifying the customer shopping experience” and designed with convenience and ease in mind, per the release. For example, parking will wrap around a singular corner entrance to maximize the number of parking spaces near the door.
Meijer opened its first Metro Detroit supercenter in Canton, Michigan, in 1974, and now has more than 45 stores in the community, including two smaller-format neighborhood markets – Woodward Corner and Rivertown Markets.
The Meijer Grocery concept is the retailer's first store format innovation since introducing the neighborhood grocery market to the public in August 2018 with the opening of Bridge Street Market on Grand Rapids' west side.
Sanderson said that the Meijer Grocery stores will feature local brands across its departments, aligning with the company's commitment to supporting local businesses. For example, the bakery sections, which include in-store cake decorators, will feature local favorites, including Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Zingerman's cinnamon rolls, banana breads, brownies and cakes, as well as pies from Achatz Handmade Pie Company and artisan bread from Crispelli's Bakery.
The stores will also offer all the categories shoppers look for on weekly home restock trips, including produce and grocery, a meat counter with in-store meat cutters, full-service deli, pharmacy, health and beauty care, as well as baby, pets and consumables.
The meat departments will highlight southeastern Michigan-made products from vendors, including Rinaldi Fresh Sausage, Dearborn Brand, Kowalski Sausage Company and The Brinery. The stores will also carry frozen pizza from the popular Detroit-style pizza chain, Buddy's Pizza.
Additionally, the grocery concept will also offer the same saving and shopping technology available at a Meijer supercenter, including mPerks coupons and rewards, BOGOs, Meijer’s seven for $7 deals, Shop and Scan, Meijer Home Delivery and Pickup.
Meijer says more details regarding the store openings will be confirmed prior to opening day. More information on the grocery concept stores, including their layout and offerings, can be found on the retailer’s website.
"By opening Meijer Grocery stores, we're introducing a new way for our customers to shop that provides convenience, value and the great quality our customers have always come to expect from Meijer," Meijer president and CEO Rick Keyes said in the release. "Our customers' needs are always evolving, and we're committed to meeting them where they are.”