Editing Meijer (section)

==History==
Meijer was founded as '''Meijer's''' in [[Greenville, Michigan]], in 1934 by [[Hendrik Meijer (businessman)|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, [[Fred Meijer (businessman)|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, Michigan|Cedar Springs]] (1942) and [[Ionia, Michigan|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 [[M-11 (Michigan highway)|28th Street]] and Kalamazoo Avenue in Grand Rapids called "Thrifty Acres." At a size of {{convert|180000|ft2}},<ref>'Discount Merchandiser Magazine, July 1986 issue, page 61, info on first Thrifty Acres store'</ref> 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, Michigan|Delta Charter Township]] in 1966. Meijer expanded into [[Southeast Michigan]] in the early 1970s, beginning with a store in [[Ypsilanti, Michigan|Ypsilanti]] in 1972 followed by their first [[Metro Detroit]] location in [[Canton, Michigan|Canton]] in 1974. Meijer expanded into [[Northern Michigan]] with a location in [[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]] in 1977.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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)|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.<ref name="autogenerated1">''Forbes Magazine'', February 13, 1995 issue, page 55, "Squeezing the Tomatoes"</ref>

[[File:MeijerSouthgateInterior.jpg|thumb|Interior of a Meijer in [[Southgate, Michigan]], 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, Indiana|Mishawaka]] on April 19, 1994, followed by the first [[Illinois]] store in [[Champaign, Illinois|Champaign]] (Store #146) on April 4, 1995.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> In 1996, the first regular [[Kentucky]] Meijer location in [[Florence, Kentucky|Florence]] opened, along with four nearby locations in Ohio which were [[Fairfield, Ohio|Fairfield]], [[Loveland, Ohio|Loveland]], [[West Chester Township, Butler County, Ohio|West Chester]] and Eastgate North Drive in [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> This also marked the chain's reentry into that state. Two more Kentucky locations would open on Paul Jones Way in [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]] and Towne Center Drive in [[Louisville, Kentucky|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, Indiana|Michigan City]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> Following this, the [[Merrillville, Indiana|Merrillville]] location opened to the public on August 4, 1998, while the [[Highland, Lake County, Indiana|Highland]] location officially opened on April 20, 1999.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> The first Meijer location in the [[Chicago]] region opened on August 3, 1999, on Weber Road in [[Bolingbrook, Illinois|Bolingbrook]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> A year later in 2000, three Illinois Meijer locations would open in [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]], [[St. Charles, Illinois|St. Charles]] and [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]]. Another Meijer store in Bolingbrook opened on Boughton Road by [[The Promenade Bolingbrook|The Promenade]] in May 2002, three years after the Weber Road location.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

[[File:Meijer Old Logo.svg|thumb|upright|This logo was adopted on April 23, 1984, for the chain's 50th anniversary and was used until July 11, 2004.]]
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,<ref>{{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 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = September 28, 2007}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{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 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = September 28, 2007}}</ref> Continuing cutbacks in 2006, the company outsourced 81 information technology positions to India.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

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".<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref name="Adweek">[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</ref>

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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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".<ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Four such stores were eventually opened, in [[Niles, Illinois|Niles]] (2010), [[Orland Park, Illinois|Orland Park]] (2010), [[Melrose Park, Illinois|Melrose Park]] (2011) and [[Berwyn, Illinois|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, Illinois|North Riverside]] in 2018), leaving the Orland Park store as the last remaining small-format Meijer in operation.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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|thumb|upright|The [[Gateway Marketplace]] 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 [[M-5 (Michigan highway)|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, Wisconsin|Pleasant Prairie]] from [[SuperValu (United States)|SuperValu]] in 2012, and placed an advertisement along the outfield wall of [[Miller Park (Milwaukee)|Miller Park]], home of the [[Milwaukee Brewers]], in 2014 in anticipation of the company's expansion into Wisconsin.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

In 2014, Meijer expanded into their southern-most store, [[Bowling Green, Kentucky]], with a new development in the growing Gary Farms retail corridor.<ref>{{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}}</ref> Meijer's parking lot also includes a Tesla supercharger.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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]]}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

In 2017–2018 Meijer expanded into the Northeastern Wisconsin market with stores in [[Howard, Wisconsin|Howard]] and [[Grand Chute, Wisconsin|Grand Chute]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> The Howard location serves [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]] with the Grand Chute location serving [[Appleton, Wisconsin|Appleton]] and the [[Fox Cities]].<ref name="Grand Chute store open">{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> Meijer also opened their first stores in the [[Upper Peninsula]] of Michigan in 2017 with stores in [[Escanaba, Michigan|Escanaba]] and [[Sault Ste. Marie, MI|Sault Ste. Marie]], later adding a third location in [[Marquette, Michigan|Marquette]].<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

In 2019, Meijer expanded into the [[Cleveland]]–[[Akron, Ohio|Akron]] market with stores in [[Stow, Ohio|Stow]],<ref>{{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}}</ref> [[Mentor, Ohio|Mentor]],<ref>{{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}}</ref> and [[Avon, Ohio|Avon]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> Meijer also expanded into the [[Youngstown, Ohio|Youngstown]] area with a store in [[Boardman, Ohio]], in 2020<ref>{{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}}</ref> as well as [[Austintown Township, Mahoning County, Ohio|Austintown]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{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 }}</ref>