Meijer

[tamias6]

Wonder if Meijer is going to try and do the M@C layout - if they do - chances are that it's going to be implemented in future if not all stores.

For now Meijer has not indicated that the M@C prototype would be propagated throughout the chain intact. However Meijer has added a few elements of M@C into other stores such as the coffee and tea offerings and fixtures to display them. So if anything, expect at least M@C coffee and tea offering in the Muskegon store after the renovation.

As for M@C's future I think Meijer may be setting up to build M@C formated stores for select and affluent market areas and continuing the current Rockwell prototype for other market areas.

[fotoman311]

Currently yes on the fat chance bit. One objective of the current store prototype is to strip store architecture to the bare essentials in bid to cut construction costs. This is why most Meijer stores built after 2003 look very sparten. However I don't think this period of building plane Jane stores won't last very long. First, besides traffic and environmental concerns being the major driving forces of community resistance against incoming big box stores, an increasing number of communities are holding developers of big box stores to higher architectural standards. This demand seems to be very strong. So much so, that even the mighty Wal-Mart as basically gave up on its standard blue and gray box and has opted to hire local architects to design store exteriors to fit the architectural character of communities they built in. Meijer too is starting to feel the effects of this demand as the appearance of stores built withing the past year and a half look a bit better than stores such as the Ionia store. The most notable example of this i can think of is the North Feild Twp. store in which a court order forced Meijer to drop its standard design for a design similar to the much better looking Birch Run store under construction Also there is the Acme Twp. saga in which the Twp. and Meijer are locked in a battle of attrition over conflicts of a proposed store and the township's recently ratified new urbanist master plan. These and other incidences of resistance Meijer is running into due to architecture have got to be the subject of conversation in the boardroom. Since Wal-Mart as already improved the appearance of their stores to meet demands posed by communities, I bet it won't be too long before Meijer follows suit if it wants to continue its aggressive growth plan to have 400 stores by 2020.

The two nicest walmarts I've seen in Fort Collins, CO and Bozeman, MT were definitely a result of this and wouldn't even be recognizable as Walmarts if you didn't see the signs, especially the Bozeman one, which doesn't really even look like a big box store as it's entirely in brick and doesn't have a giant front facade like a lot of them do. . These were the best photos I could find on google. I was surprised there weren't more.

Ft Collins:

http://www.dougformayor.com/columns/articl...iewprocess.html

This one also included lots of trees throughout the parking lot.

Bozeman:

Edited December 13, 2007 by fotoman311

[drinsema-sybenga]

I don't think the rendering that was in the Muskegon Chronicle has been posted yet in relation to the article that Eridony posted. Here is the rendering.

[Eridony]

Thanks Dan, too bad that rendering doesn't help show what parts of the building will be demolished and what parts will be added on to.

[jbr12]

That means it will be a successful renovation

[tamias6]

Thanks Dan, too bad that rendering doesn't help show what parts of the building will be demolished and what parts will be added on to.

In that rendering you are looking at the store from the southwest. The far end of the store, which is the north side, will be grocery section while the south end, featuring the drive up pharmacy and outdoor garden center will the new retail section. Based on this. I would expect Meijer to demolish the west loading docks and the western most 120 foot portion of the building to make way for the entrances while a new addition would be tacked on the north side to make room for the new grocery section. Meanwhile demolition along the south side of the building would take place to make way for the addition of a 64' by 100' bump out containing much of the seasonal dept. grills, and garden tools. That bump out will be surrounded by a 20,000+ sq. ft. outdoor garden center. As a result, the store will be reduced in dimension east to west while the north south dimension will increase with much of that increase spilling onto the north parking lot.

As for what will be left of the original building, not much will remain. Only the eastern most 1/3 of the south wall, the rear wall and 60 percent of the original roof will remain. All traces of the building's pre-renovation architecture will be obliterated. There is a small chance that the two loading docks at the SE corner of the building may be left intact. However new loading dock on the north side of the building may render the two SE loading docks redundant. The Interior is most likely going to be a total gutting to make way for the new store layout. Though large portions of the east wall dividing the sales floor from the stockroom may be left intact but repainted and reconfigured with relocated access doors into the stockrooms. Lastly since the southernmost 32' feet of the building and likely the roofs of additions have higher roof than the rest of the building Meijer may opt to install a drop ceiling instead of going for an exposed open truss ceiling to hide varying ceiling height which would be a bit unsightly if left exposed.

[tamias6]

Sorry for the double post but I wanted to throw in this illustration to supplement my previous post...

This is a diagram illustrating what will remain of the the original Meijer store after the 2007-08 renovation. Red is what is left of the old store and purple is what is new. The image the model is built on is the store before the renovation.

[Veloise]

Last night I stopped by the Scio Twp store, just west of Ann Arbor. Pretty interesting, compared with what I know now. (I lived in A2 for some fifteen years and moved away in 2000.)

If you take the M@C faux-cade, flip it (mirror image, so that the "barn" is on the right), and reduce to 80%, you'll have an idea of what this store looks like. When it was built, the Twp expanded and improved Jackson Rd and Zeeb Rd. Out front of the store, on that corner, is an iconic masonry edifice with the words WELCOME TO SCIO TOWNSHIP.

Inside is pretty interesting--they've continued with the faux-cades. Toys features a brick-like old time toy store appearance. Next to it is Sports, with a hewn beam truss design, just like Cabela's. Throughout the store are interesting faux-vintage (I should come up with a pun for that) signs that look like the wall hangers of Cafe Solace/Bloom, with department names on them.

Also unique was what could be called the Victors department. Right near Men's (which was overrun with racks and racks of T-shirts and other apparel in a certain color combination) was a display packed with various "souvenired" product emblazoned with The Block M®. Some of the items are musical. (Fridge magnet: good rendition, but missing the "bump" note. Bottle opener: only half of the chorus.) I examined the ice scrapers to find the PLAY button (nope). This display is separate from the collegiate/pro/Michigan regional display typical in local Fred's (the one with Mardi Gras beads and boxers in patterns to salute the Lions, Tigers, Wings, MSU, U-M, and GVSU).

Sorry no pics. Need to ask Santa for a nighttime-capable camera.

The lot seemed shallow but wide, and the parking has an annoying curvilineal cul-de-sacky curb effect that creates ring roads (just like at Rivertown!) and dead ends. Most Fred's are readily navigable at night for newcomers. This one is not.

[Veloise]

Birthday by Fred:

(my sis is not an ambitious shopper)

[tamias6]

Last night I stopped by the Scio Twp store, just west of Ann Arbor. Pretty interesting, compared with what I know now. (I lived in A2 for some fifteen years and moved away in 2000.)

If you take the M@C faux-cade, flip it (mirror image, so that the "barn" is on the right), and reduce to 80%, you'll have an idea of what this store looks like. When it was built, the Twp expanded and improved Jackson Rd and Zeeb Rd. Out front of the store, on that corner, is an iconic masonry edifice with the words WELCOME TO SCIO TOWNSHIP.

Inside is pretty interesting--they've continued with the faux-cades. Toys features a brick-like old time toy store appearance. Next to it is Sports, with a hewn beam truss design, just like Cabela's. Throughout the store are interesting faux-vintage (I should come up with a pun for that) signs that look like the wall hangers of Cafe Solace/Bloom, with department names on them.

Also unique was what could be called the Victors department. Right near Men's (which was overrun with racks and racks of T-shirts and other apparel in a certain color combination) was a display packed with various "souvenired" product emblazoned with The Block M

[Rybak 187]

At the Auburn Hills Meijer store they have a large Pistons at the back of the by the grocery part of the store.

[highwayguy]

Also unique was what could be called the Victors department. Right near Men's (which was overrun with racks and racks of T-shirts and other apparel in a certain color combination) was a display packed with various "souvenired" product emblazoned with The Block M

Edited December 15, 2007 by highwayguy

[Veloise]

Are you sure you were in Scio Township? Sounds more like Hell! (They're actually not too far apart...)

The sign read Scio (and we know that signs are always correct!). I know where Hell is, have ridden through it.

Those seeking equal time should check the Lansing-area stores. Same product, different color scheme.

[my biz trip included a stop on the Ohio turnpike...guess what their gift shop is full of]

[tamias6]

The sign read Scio (and we know that signs are always correct!). I know where Hell is, have ridden through it.

Those seeking equal time should check the Lansing-area stores. Same product, different color scheme.

[my biz trip included a stop on the Ohio turnpike...guess what their gift shop is full of]

That means you can say "I've been to Hell and back" and really mean it.

[Veloise]

That means you can say "I've been to Hell and back" and really mean it.

During the ride I was headed one direction, having passed through Hell, and a couple guys were travelling the other way. I pointed out that they were on The Road to Hell. Laughed so hard they about fell off their bikes.

http://michigan.org/travel/weather/?m=&city=G3136

Looks like Hell has frozen over!

[tamias6]

...

http://michigan.org/travel/weather/?m=&city=G3136

Looks like Hell has frozen over!

I guess that means I'll have to all those thing I said I wouldn't do unless Hell freezes over.

[Rybak 187]

Here is an update on the proposed Meijer store in Hartland Township:

12/13/07 - A shopping center project in Hartland Township just got bigger and will include a Meijer. The Planning Commission met Thursday night and held a public hearing on an amended plan from developers of the Hartland Towne Square project on the site of the old Oasis Truck Stop at M-59 and Hartland Road. It will only include retail and commercial components with plans for two large anchors; one of which is a Meijer store. Developers hope to receive final preliminary approval from the Planning Commission January 3rd. They plan to break ground in the new year and Meijer has a projected August 2009 opening date. You can view the latest plans for the project by clicking here Hartland Towne Square (JM)

[tamias6]

Here is an update on the proposed Meijer store in Hartland Township:

12/13/07 - A shopping center project in Hartland Township just got bigger and will include a Meijer. The Planning Commission met Thursday night and held a public hearing on an amended plan from developers of the Hartland Towne Square project on the site of the old Oasis Truck Stop at M-59 and Hartland Road. It will only include retail and commercial components with plans for two large anchors; one of which is a Meijer store. Developers hope to receive final preliminary approval from the Planning Commission January 3rd. They plan to break ground in the new year and Meijer has a projected August 2009 opening date. You can view the latest plans for the project by clicking here Hartland Towne Square (JM)

I checked out the the pdf file your link lead to. The 192,000 sq. ft. "Mercantile" building is obviously a Meijer store. It even shows the garden center, entrances, refrigeration lean-to and the whole nine yards. I wounder why they didn't label the Merchantile building "Meijer"? The 125,000 sq. ft. building next door is a mystery. Cosco's perhaps?

[Rybak 187]

I checked out the the pdf file your link lead to. The 192,000 sq. ft. "Mercantile" building is obviously a Meijer store. It even shows the garden center, entrances, refrigeration lean-to and the whole nine yards. I wounder why they didn't label the Merchantile building "Meijer"? The 125,000 sq. ft. building next door is a mystery. Cosco's perhaps?

Here is a part of the article that I deleted:

The other large store has not been identified but it was alluded to during the meeting that it may be a home improvement store.

Here is a link to the whole article.

[highwayguy]

Shopping at Meijer this weekend? You might be able to save a few dollars with some Meijer Santa Bucks!

http://www3.meijer.com/santabucks/google_santabucks.html

[Veloise]

The Acme Township saga has gotten a lot of local coverage in the last couple of days. (It seems that the Meijer real estate department attempted to "help" with the township board recall effort, and this is a violation of state law. Company officials unavailable for comment, president said he was unaware of the PR firm's role in the campaign until recently, twp treasurer sued Meijer for harassment and recently received a settlement, etc, etc.)

Here's a link to the local Traverse City paper articles, which may have a different flavor than the local hometown coverage.

http://www.record-eagle.com/archivesearch/...%3A11&hl=en

[walker]

... which may have a different flavor than the local hometown coverage.

Have I just become inept at using the internet all of a sudden or is the GR Press mlive story from yesterday about this missing all of a sudden? It was there earlier. Maybe an editor was embarrassed by their lame headline and coverage yesterday. (The AP story from Dec. 24 is still there though.)

[Veloise]

Have I just become inept at using the internet all of a sudden or is the GR Press mlive story from yesterday about this missing all of a sudden? It was there earlier. Maybe an editor was embarrassed by their lame headline and coverage yesterday. (The AP story from Dec. 24 is still there though.)

12/25/07's Meijer to aid probe of its role in recall vote is still up there. (Probably most effective to search on "acme.")

Edited December 26, 2007 by Veloise

[walker]

12/25/07's Meijer to aid probe of its role in recall vote is still up there. (Probably most effective to search on "acme.")

Apparently the filters I'm jumping through at work must be doing something strange. I can get to it now through some links but not others. Thanks.

Maybe I'm too hard on the Press and I am expecting too much from them this early in the game and they will follow up later. But it would by interesting to find out who knew what when. It may not have been the new president that authorized this, but I kind of doubt that it was the employees in the deli department that got together and decided to buy an election.

Edited December 27, 2007 by walker

[Veloise]

...I kind of doubt that it was the employees in the deli department that got together and decided to buy an election.

Thanks for the LOL! (I'm pointing a finger at the greeters and the cart collectors!)