Meijer

[Veloise]

May I ask what the incessant posting and praise singing of Meijer by one or two posters is all about? Employed by the company, perhaps? Or just easily impressed? Not attempting a flame war, here, but, sheesh, nearly everytime I pop in, the top post in the Coffee House is - wait for it, drum-roll, please, "MEIJER".

Hey, I'm unhappy, too. My invitation also got lost in the mail.

For me, it's entertainment from out beyond the sidewalks. My office space is almost walking distance from M@C, but...see the Fountain Place thread.

[tamias6]

May I ask what the incessant posting and praise singing of Meijer by one or two posters is all about? Employed by the company, perhaps? Or just easily impressed? Not attempting a flame war, here, but, sheesh, nearly everytime I pop in, the top post in the Coffee House is - wait for it, drum-roll, please, "MEIJER".

When it comes to grocery and retail shopping, you will find me to be a very picky customer. But my criteria is basic and to the point. One, the retailer must offer good quality products at fair prices. Two, the store must be clean, easily navigable and well lit. Three the first two aspects must be supported by decent customer service. In the last several years since I became aware of the political, social, and economic impact of Wal-Mart and other dubious big boxes, I have added a fourth criterion. That being good business practices coupled with sound corporate responsibility. In my opinion Meijer has met my criteria for the 20+ years the family and I have shopped their.

The product quality and selection offered by Meijer's grocery section is atleast as good as the finest supermarket. As of late Meijer's grocery section has become even better which is why 99% of all our grocery needs are met by Meijer. The retail or general merchandise offerings were fairly weak when we first began to shop at Meijer. But since then Meijer has been getting allot better at general merchandise. We only have to go to another store for a few specialty items that are beyond Meijer's scope. But other than that Meijer foots the bill when it comes to meeting our basic domestics and lifestyle needs. Lastly Meijer has been getting real good at keeping prices low thanks to Wal-Mart and Target nipping at Meijer's heels.

Given the nature of being a big box, Meijer's customer service is something I find very impressive. Thus far associates have answered any question I have thrown at them without missing a beat. Meijer has never given me any flack on any items I've returned. I can even tell you some stories of times when Meijer associates have went beyond the call of duty to help the family and I out a couple of jams we were in. So for a giant grocer and retailer Meijer's customer service is very good.

As for the physical stores themselves, I've never had real issues about them. Some of the older stores like the 28th and K'zoo location along with the existing Plainfeild store are long in the tooth. But then again the 28th street/ K'zoo store is the very first supercenter in the US while the Plainfeild store became a supercenter 30+ years ago. But Meijer will have all of its older locations up to their current store prototypes in due time. Specking of which I could not be more happy with the current prototypes. They are spotless, brightly lit, and very simple to navigate. Then there is Meijer at Cascade. One step into that place and one will instantly know that Meijer has pulled all the stops to create a shopper's paradise. So the stores do provide a pleasant shopping experience despite being the size of four football fields.

Lastly, Meijer has a very good corporate responsibility and good business practices. First of all its family owned and operated and has been since the company was founded by Hindrik Meijer during the depths of the great depression. There have been rumors that Tesco was going to buy out Meijer. But Meijer has repeatedly made it point blank clear they are not for sale. So the company does not have to cater to greedy investors. Instead Meijer is reinvesting all of its profits back into the company where they belong. The renovation of older stores to the current prototypes, and the constant tinkering of those prototypes to make them better are but two examples of this. Meijer has never had to close any store it has opened due to poor performance. An example of this is a store in Kalamazoo, MI. Its sales were sagging to dangerously low levels due to increasing competition. In the state that store was in other companies would have closed it. But Meijer never gave up on that location. Now as far as I know that K'zoo store is doing fairly well. Meijer is not a quitter. Between 2000 and 2004 Meijer was decked square between the eyes by incoming Wal-Mart supercenters and Target stores and the future of the company was uncertain. But unlike so many others Meijer did not crumple under the intense pressure of smiley face or the red bull eye. Instead Meijer transformed itself and faced its competitors head on resulting in the Meijer we see today. That being a fast growing company poised to more than double its size by 2020. Lastly there is humility. Even though Meijer is a 12-14 billion dollar corporate giant it never lost its touch of its humble roots. Hindrik still kept and used his barber tools up to his dying day. In fact one of the last things he did was give family members haircuts. Fred Meijer started off as a bagger. So he had to claw and earn his way up to the top. In fact, Fred still drives an old Oldsmobile. Hendrik Meijer, the current head of the company, was a journalist before being called into the company. Also take a look at what Meijer has done at least here in GR. The Meijer Heart Center, the Frederik Meijer Gardens are two of the most visible examples.

Meijer is not perfect. It is a big box. However it is a very good example of how a big box ought be run when compared to the competition. So in my humble opinion what I've stated above has earned Meijer my patronage. As long as Meijer continues to be a good grocer and retailer and continues to improve itself the family and I will to shop there and recommend it to others... and yes praise Meijer on Urban Planet.

[pr sc]

Excellent post, Tamias6. The only time we didn't shop at Meijer - craving "bread ends" from Daanes!

[tamias6]

Here is an article about Meijer at Cascade.

On that note M@C is now ready to serve.

Bone Appetite.

Edited October 24, 2007 by tamias6

[suydam]

May I ask what the incessant posting and praise singing of Meijer by one or two posters is all about? Employed by the company, perhaps? Or just easily impressed? Not attempting a flame war, here, but, sheesh, nearly everytime I pop in, the top post in the Coffee House is - wait for it, drum-roll, please, "MEIJER".

I never post on this thread...it's Meijer...who cares?

I went into M@C though and I have to say: I was blown away.

That is totally my new grocery store even though it's about 5 minutes further from my house than M@Knapp's

I really like the new store....very impressive.

[mejane]

I never post on this thread...it's Meijer...who cares?

I went into M@C though and I have to say: I was blown away.

That is totally my new grocery store even though it's about 5 minutes further from my house than M@Knapp's

I really like the new store....very impressive.

Okay, I'm convinced...will stop in next time for the weekly grocery shopping - it's no farther from me than Knapp's Corners or 28th and 'zoo.

[egrguy]

May I ask what the incessant posting and praise singing of Meijer by one or two posters is all about? Employed by the company, perhaps? Or just easily impressed? Not attempting a flame war, here, but, sheesh, nearly everytime I pop in, the top post in the Coffee House is - wait for it, drum-roll, please, "MEIJER".

This made me crack up especially seeing 600+ posts regarding a grocery store. Its funny. I do like Meijer alot along with its much smaller brother D&W/Family Fare as they are both locally owned. Keep the money in town. Anyone, I do want to take in the M@C.

Is the new beer & wine selection really that much improved from its other stores?

[tamias6]

.....

Is the new beer & wine selection really that much improved from its other stores?

Yes, by far. I believe M@C has about 300 domestic, imported, craft, and specialty beers to choose from. Also there is a whole aisle of hard liquors. In addition one will find a comprehensive offering of wines ranging from $10 to $500 per bottle. If I heard correctly, Meijer has even hired on a full time wine steward to tend the bottles and answer any questions. Also M@C sells many specialty beers by the individual bottle. So one can put together an assorted six pack using complimentary carry bags. In short if you have ever been to Cost Plus World Market, M@C exceeds that store's alcoholic beverage offerings.

[suydam]

This made me crack up especially seeing 600+ posts regarding a grocery store. Its funny. I do like Meijer alot along with its much smaller brother D&W/Family Fare as they are both locally owned. Keep the money in town. Anyone, I do want to take in the M@C.

Is the new beer & wine selection really that much improved from its other stores?

BEER: Import and micros are way better than they used to be AND they have a "build your own 6 pack" thing. If you've ever bought beer at Cost Plus World Market, the new meijer beer/wine selection is similar in every way (this is a good thing).

It's still not Martha's or Russo's but it's a colossal step forward.

Long live the grocery store thread!

[tamias6]

Today was our big payday grocery shopping blitz. Usually our big shopping trips are done at the Alpine Meijer since its grocery section is bigger and offers a wider selection than the Standale Meijer. However the Family and I decided to give Meijer at Cascade a real good test drive to see if it indeed functioned as well as it looks. Well $250 dollars and cart filled to bursting later, M@C has proven itself the most pleasant and functional place to do one's shopping I've ever come across. Even though we've only been to the store twice since its renovation was completed and have not completely memorized it like we have the Alpine and Standale stores, everything was very easy to find. I especially like the fact all the action alleys lack the usual gondolas which really eases traffic congestion and helps establishes an open atmosphere. The lighting, though not as bright as the Rockwell Prototype the store's current protptype replaced, is very theatrical which really helps in enhancing product presentation. Next we took advantage of the massive meat and seafood counters. The staff that served us were very helpful and polite despite being more demanding on them than usual on some Atlantic Salmon we ordered. Along with that any of the staff on the sales floor were very helpful in directing us to items we could not find. Of course selection is unparalleled. Only two really obscure spices on our shopping list were not available. Checkout lanes were very fast rivaling those at the Alpine store.

About the only suggestions I have is to add more of the little fruit and vegetables plastic bags in the produce dept. along with playing ambient music over the PA system.

In short M@C is indeed the finest store Meijer has ever put together. Despite being over 18 miles from home M@C will be seeing the family and I at least once a month.

[Veloise]

Apologies to Mejane...remembered something else first noticed during my afternoon-of-the-grand-opening recon.

M@C has completely changed the reading selections at the checkout. No more Weekly World News, Globe, Hairdo, crosswords, Britney-Lindsay-Paris Peep-hole rags. I think even the Reader's Digest might have been removed.

I noticed this on Monday (red carpet evening) because suddenly all the choices went Ada-like. Money. Fortune. Travel rags. They retained the House Beautiful sorts of titles, but there was a definite turn away from the lime green polyester with curlers under a scarf sort of read.

One of my regular buys is called Quick and Simple (it's a weekly, fairly new). Before the reno, and still at the other Fred's, it's located in a double-wide rack located above the pop machines that line every checkout. Well! M@C's powers that be apparently didn't feel it was classy enough. Tonight I scrubbed every checkout, and finally found a few copies hiding in the magazine section (and not on an open rack).

Now whointhehell buys a copy of Money or Investor or Maserati Monthly at Fred's?

We now return you to your regularly-scheduled coffeehouse.

Edited October 27, 2007 by Veloise

[tamias6]

What? No more tabloids at the checkouts? Darn! What will I do with out poking fun at make-believe headlines about two headed aliens and Britteny Spears? Anyway I'm glad to see M@C purge such nonsense from its shelves. I hope the same will happen in the rest of the chain.

Veloise, did you notice the gigantic pumpkin on display next to the Meijer Fresh entrance greeter? At 4 feet in diameter and 2 feet high that thing is huge.

[NorthCoast]

Does anyone have a list and/or pictures of the original Meijer Supermarket locations (pre-supercenter)?

[tamias6]

Michigan & Fuller (Closed lin late 80's, Now Dutler Foods)

S. Division, Wyoming (Fate Unkown)

28th Street and Kalamazoo (upgraded to Supercenter)

Plainfield Ave. (upgraded to supercenter, will be demolished and replaced by new store on same site in April 2008)

Alpine Ave. (upgraded to supercenter)

DT GR (closed shortly after grand opening due to lack of market demand)

DT Greenville (destroyed by fire)

Lake Michigan and Wilson (closed shortly after building the first batch of supercenters called Thrifty Acers, Now vacant Ralph's Market)

This is what I can conjure up. But I think there was a few more Meijer supermarkets than what I've listed.

[destijl]

Michigan & Fuller (Closed lin late 80's, Now Dutler Foods)

S. Division, Wyoming (Fate Unkown)

28th Street and Kalamazoo (upgraded to Supercenter)

Plainfield Ave. (upgraded to supercenter, will be demolished and replaced by new store on same site in April 2008)

Alpine Ave. (upgraded to supercenter)

DT GR (closed shortly after grand opening due to lack of market demand)

DT Greenville (destroyed by fire)

Lake Michigan and Wilson (closed shortly after building the first batch of supercenters called Thrifty Acers, Now vacant Ralph's Market)

This is what I can conjure up. But I think there was a few more Meijer supermarkets than what I've listed.

South side of 28th steet just east of Clyde Park, later converted into the short lived Meijer drugstore chain called 'Spaar"

[bostonsquaremom]

South side of 28th steet just east of Clyde Park, later converted into the short lived Meijer drugstore chain called 'Spaar"

Division St. Meijer was a Perry Drug Store years ago, is now an Asian mall. Wei Wei Palace is there.

There is a former Meijer located on Eastern Ave. and Dickinson St. (west side of Eastern).

[Rybak 187]

There was a general merchandise Meijer store in Essexville called Meijer Square. It is now a Kroger which was also it plaza that just further down.

[Raildudes dad]

Michigan & Fuller (Closed lin late 80's, Now Dutler Foods)

The sw corner 2 story portion of the building was corporate headquarters during that era

[tamias6]

The sw corner 2 story portion of the building was corporate headquarters during that era

Hard to believe considering the current size of Meijer but true.

[Allison Slater]

DT GR (closed shortly after grand opening due to lack of market demand)

Where and when was this?

[Delvrin]

Does anyone have a list and/or pictures of the original Meijer Supermarket locations (pre-supercenter)?

Here is a list that I compiled from old city directories a while back:

1 - Greenville

2 - Cedar Springs

3 - Ionia

4 - 4242 Division Ave. S.

5 - 2815 Woodward Ave. SW

6 - 80 Ottawa NW

7 - 425 Fuller NE

8 - 1645 Eastern SE

9 - 1620 Leonard NW

10 - 4365 Lake Michigan Dr.

11 - 1540 28th Street SE

12 - 3757 Plainfield Ave NE

13 - 376 Apple Ave, Muskegon

14 - 1950 Sanford, Muskegon

15 - 3000 Walker NW (Gas station)

16 - W Columbia Ave, Battle Creek

17 - 91 Douglas Ave, Holland

18 - 430 N. Beacon, Grand Haven

I'm pretty certain that Norton Shores (#19) was the first store built as a Thrifty Acres from the beginning.

[tamias6]

I'm pretty certain that Norton Shores (#19) was the first store built as a Thrifty Acres from the beginning.

The 28th street and Kalamazoo store was the first Thrifty Acres. When the 28th street and K'zoo store was enlarged accommodate Meijer's one stop shopping concept, Meijer held a contest to determine the name of the store. Thefty Acres was the winning name. Thrifty described Meijer's emphasis on low prices and Acres denoted the immense size of the store as compared to a standard supermarket. Before Threfty Acres, the names some of Meijer's old super markets along the lines of "Meijer Thrift Market." Others were "Meijer Supermarkets".

[Delvrin]

The 28th street and Kalamazoo store was the first Thrifty Acres.

I know that. What I meant was that the store was built as a supercenter from the ground up, not expanded from an existing supermarket.

Edited November 10, 2007 by Delvrin

[tamias6]

Ah. Thanks for clarifying.

[blueradon]

There is a montage somewhere in meijer that shows a picture of the first meijer store that opened in Greenville (that later burned down)

Probably can't take a picture of it - sure it's on the internets somewhere...

I went to Meijer @ Cascade today. I was very impressed with the layout, didn't find it hard to find anything at all.

And I am now a proud owner of bacon salt - I splurged and bought like 6 of them to stock up LOL