Meijer

[Veloise]

I agree that the Meijer in Ionia is fugly. The one on Telegraph in Southfield looks like that too. Actually, the entries aren't bad, but the rest of the store is blech. Especially that new logo.

Wonder what they'll do with the old Meijer? Why not put a Target there so you have FOUR discount chains in a row? (Watch, they'll actually do that just 'cause I said that.)

The old Ionia store is lonnnnngggg gone. They built the new one and kept the old one open until time to shift all the merch. Held a contest for customers, grand prize was driving the 'dozer into the old store for the first hit.

This might explain why there is so incredibly much parking parking parking for a small market; they built a lot for New Store and then added Old Store's to it.

[gvsusean]

A personal story about Fred Meijer.

My mother happened to have a passing acquaintance with Mrs. Meijer and mentioned one day that it was too bad that the Meijer store she shopped at did not have a particular kind of pancake mix that her grandson (my eldest) loved. It happened that we were about to visit my parents, hence the comment.

We were sitting in the living room one afternoon when an Oldsmobile (not new, mind you) pulls up outside the house. Out of the car strides an older man who, upon reaching the door, says to my surprised parents, "Here, I hope this is the mix that Lena told me about."

It was Fred Meijer.

which is why I only shop at Meijer

[snoogit]

Wow. It's the simple acts like that which really make somebody great. Sure he didn't save somebody's life or anything, but he didn't have to go find that mix, AND deliver it personally, even!

He's a great guy and deserves much respect.

Fred's a great guy, and I have nothing but respect for him. I just wish he had better managers underneath him is all

[GRDadof3]

I'm sorry, but that story sounds like something from Snopes.

[snoogit]

I'm sorry, but that story sounds like something from Snopes.

it sort of does doesn't it? but I still have respect for Fred, hes done more for this community that goes unnoticed then a lot of people realize.

[chieflenny]

Meijer finally officially secured the land in Jamestown Township last week. They are putting up yet another new style of store on the site. I only have huge renderings of it and I don't think I can shrink them to scan onto here.

The store is going to be 2 shades of brown (lighter & darker), with the same type of glass entry-ways, except the glass is going to be a dark tint versus the blueish tint of the other new stores. The most noticable difference is the alternating heights of different sections of the facade. It goes in a higher-lower alternating pattern all the way across the front. I am also happy that it doesn't have the Meijer sign positioned so that the 2 dots of the "i" and the "j" stick above the roofline of the building....that's so strange looking.

They expect to break ground soon and have it done within a year. Rumor is they're having some trouble with the State DEQ.

Edited June 5, 2006 by chieflenny

[LA Dave]

I'm sorry, but that story sounds like something from Snopes.

Would you care to explain yourself, GRDad? The story is absolutely true. Perhaps I am misunderstanding you.

[tamias6]

Some say that the Alpine Meijer store is getting long in the tooth. I do agree with that. Even though the building is kept clean, atleast cleaner than the 28th street and K'zoo store, the facility is obsolete and is in desparate need of being renovated or replaced. That needs to happen more than ever with Wal-Mart, just further down the road making moves to upgrade to a Supercenter. The Alpine Meijer may be a busy little place. However I don't think its stands a chance at competing with a much larger Wal-Mart.

Optimaly I would like to see Meijer replace the old Alpine store with a new facility. But if that is not posible I do see a way the Alpine store could be renovated.

1. Take the garden and seasonals which is currently located in the northeast corner of the building and move them to the southside of the building. The outdoor garden would be moved the south parking lot. The parking slots lost would then be replaced by new slots that would go in place of where the outdoor garden is currently located.

2. Next the southeast entrances would be moved to the east facade (front) to line up with the south prominade seperating the toy and sporting goods from the clothing.

3. At the southwest corner of the building, the rear entrances would be walled off and back checkout lanes removed to make way for "E4", Meijer's media and consumer electronics department found in the company's new stores.

4. Since the photo development is consosolidated with E4 and the southeast entrance now moved to its new location(step 2), there would be enough space to move the pharmacy from its current location, at the back of the store next to the bottle returns, to southeast corner of the building with the pharmacy desk located where the photo development is currently located. This would allow a conveinent place to add a drive up window to the pharmacy.

5. Pet supplies would fill the space, vacated by the pharmacy, next to the bottle return.

6. The northeast entrance would be moved southward to directly line up with the prominade seperating the groceries from the clothing.

7. With the space left by moving of the guarden and seasonals (step 1), the pet supplies (step 5), and the moving of the northeast entrance (step 6), the deli would be moved to front wall where the north east entrance used to be followed by the bakery moved to the northeast corner of the building where one currently steps out into the outdoor gardens. The meat counters would then move to the spot where the deli and bakery is currently located.

8. The remaining space of the northeast courner of the store would be filled by an enlarged produce department.

9. Finish off the renovation with cosmetic changes and a graphics program consistant to Meijer's new store format.

These changes would make the Alpine store more consistant with Meijer's new stores and allow the Alpine store to better compete with the pending Wal-Mart Supercenter without drastically increasing the footprint of the store and minimizing the loss of parking spaces.

Any thought?

[GRDadof3]

Would you care to explain yourself, GRDad? The story is absolutely true. Perhaps I am misunderstanding you.

It sounds like the perfect story. Too perfect (like an urban myth). But if you say it's true, then it's true. Nothing against Fred Meijer or you or anything, it just sounded familiar or like a www.snopes.com story.

[snoogit]

Any thought?

That Meijer will never be renovated, but my guess is they will look at two sites:

The old Fischer plant, or down the road on 4 mile.

The Fischer plant allows them to keep the same customer base, and also gives them the opportunity to renovate an old building at a substantially lower cost then building new (could save them up to 5 million)

a 4 Mile site would allow them to tap into any new traffic the proposed Lifestyle center will bring in. My guess is Meijer is looking at both options, but would lean towards a 4 mile locations right now.

[MJLO]

If they abandoned that Alpine location too, It would open up the area for more developement and renewal, along with the old Lear plant. That area is looking a little worn around the edges, it could use a face lift.

[tamias6]

That Meijer will never be renovated, but my guess is they will look at two sites:

The old Fischer plant, or down the road on 4 mile.

The Fischer plant allows them to keep the same customer base, and also gives them the opportunity to renovate an old building at a substantially lower cost then building new (could save them up to 5 million)

a 4 Mile site would allow them to tap into any new traffic the proposed Lifestyle center will bring in. My guess is Meijer is looking at both options, but would lean towards a 4 mile locations right now.

I'd like to see Meijer carve out a store from the old Fischer Plant. One, this would keep tax revenue where it needs to be. Two it would do like you said, keep the customer base. Three, having somthing like a Meijer store as an anchor would spark much needed redevelopment at the vacant Fischer Plant site.

The option of locating onto 4 mile road would be tempting as well. This would allow Meijer to build from a clean slate. However if Meijer moved to 4 mile, I hope its on the south side of the road as 4 mile defines Walker's northern city limits. Losing the jobs from the Fischer Plant closure has put a dent in Walker's tax revenue. If Meijer built on the northside of 4 mile, that's an additional 400 to 500 jobs going outside the city limits along with any tax revenue garnered from product sales and property taxes.

Also if Meijer built on 4 mile, they would be unconfortably close to the existing Wal-Mart store that wants to upgrade to a supercenter. Since Wal-Mart is little further north and located directly on Alpine it will nap up potential customers coming down from Comstock Park and Sparta before geting to Meijer. This would happen anyway no matter what moves Meijer made which is why Wal-Mart is doing everything they can to sweat talk Alpine Township into giving consent. Which brings up this issue for Fred and his gang. Meijer's westside customer base, many of which are blue collar and budget sesitive, for lack of a more pollitcally correct term, would ask themselves, "Do I go to a 4 mile road Meijer or drive just a stone's throw further north to take advantage of Wal-Mart's agressivly low pricing." If Meijer made an effort to renovate its existing store or build on the Fischer Plant site then convenience of location might be enough to retain its existing customer base. "Why fight the nightmarish traffic problens to go to Wal-Mart north of 4 mile when Meijer is practically next door and prices are not that much different than Wal-Mart?" Of course Alpine Township has, as of yet, not given Wal-Mart the final green light to go Supercenter. Should Wal-Mart's efforts fail (God, I hope that will be the case.), then all bets are off giving Meijer free reign to do with the Alpine store as it sees fit, unless Target happens to quietly sneaks in a Super Target on a lucrative spot on Alpine.

[LA Dave]

It sounds like the perfect story. Too perfect (like an urban myth). But if you say it's true, then it's true. Nothing against Fred Meijer or you or anything, it just sounded familiar or like a www.snopes.com story.

I am more than a little offended that you would call this a "perfect story" or ":like an urban myth."

I wrote that it was a true story. I witnessed it personally. My wife witnessed it personally. Your suggestions make it sounds like I was trying to put one over on the board.

I suggest that you be a little more careful in your comments in the future.

[civitas]

I'd like to see Meijer carve out a store from the old Fischer Plant. One, this would keep tax revenue where it needs to be. Two it would do like you said, keep the customer base. Three, having somthing like a Meijer store as an anchor would spark much needed redevelopment at the vacant Fischer Plant site.

I understand that the current Alpine store is bigger than the prototype that Meijer is currently building at new locations.

I also understand that they considered a new store across the street and declined.

[Veloise]

That Meijer will never be renovated, but my guess is they will look at two sites:

The old Fischer plant, or down the road on 4 mile.

The Fischer plant allows them to keep the same customer base, and also gives them the opportunity to renovate an old building at a substantially lower cost then building new (could save them up to 5 million)

a 4 Mile site would allow them to tap into any new traffic the proposed Lifestyle center will bring in. My guess is Meijer is looking at both options, but would lean towards a 4 mile locations right now.

Fred likes highway interchanges. Ionia is odd because it's about 7 miles from the freeway.

Was the existing plant an industrial use? Could be a brownfield nightmare. (Personally I don't have a problem with that --they are bringing the food in, not growing it on site -- but I know of folks who won't shop at Shifty's because "they have animals" (pet section) in with the food. Just like at home!)

BTW, for the Tel-Twelve store, they razed the former K-Mart to put in brand-spankin' new Meijer a la Ionia.

[GRDadof3]

I am more than a little offended that you would call this a "perfect story" or ":like an urban myth."

I wrote that it was a true story. I witnessed it personally. My wife witnessed it personally. Your suggestions make it sounds like I was trying to put one over on the board.

I suggest that you be a little more careful in your comments in the future.

Point taken LA Dave. Moving on...

Where were we....Meijer on Alpine?

[tamias6]

I understand that the current Alpine store is bigger than the prototype that Meijer is currently building at new locations.

I also understand that they considered a new store across the street and declined.

The Alpine Store is quite a bit smaller than the new stores. My guess is that the Alpine store is about 150,000 square feet at the most while the new stores are 207,000 square feet in size. The largest Meijer store I've heard of is one in Lansing measuring a sprawling 250,000 square feet. It was built in the mid 70's I believe. The Knapp Corner Meijer, located on the East Belt Line in GR Township, is massive as well coming in at 225,000 square feet. I laugh every time I pass by the Knapp Corner Location, as I remember all the NIMBY's that threw a hug headline grabbing fit over the building of that store. Now they are its customers!!

Anyway, the smallest Meijer Store I've seen is the 28th street and K'zoo Ave location. That was the very first of the "Thifty Acers" stores. It began life as a Meijer grocery store (the arch shaped portion of the building containing the checkouts and shoes). It became a "Thrifty Acers" when an 80,000 square ft. addition was tacked onto the building (the middle portion of the building now containing the groceries, clothing, and toys. Just after I moved into the Grand Rapids Area 20 years ago, another addition to the westside of the building (containing furniture and seasonals if I remember right) was made bringing the store up to its current shape and size. The last time I was at the 28th steet and K'zoo store (summer of last year) the checkout lanes at the rear of the store had been removed and the rear entrance was coverted to access out to the outdoor garden carved out from the rear parking lot. Here's a little trivia, the floors of the 80,000 square ft additon are 8 inches thick verse the standard 4 inches. This was done by request by Fred and Hank Meijer so they could easly sell the building to a car dealership if the Thrifty Acers concept failed to take hold.

As for the Alpine Store, it too began life as a Meijer Grocery store. Just after the 28th and K'zoo location became a "Thrifty Acers", the Alpine Ave. location became one as well. I closely looked for signs of an "orignal grocery store" that was added on to. But found none. So I suspect that the original grocery store was completely replaced by the current building. The renovations made to the Alpine store since I arrived are mainly cosmetic upgrades to the facades and interior and periodic store fixture replacments resulting in the form that the store takes now.

As for the new batch of stores Meijer, Inc are adding to its chain, 207,000 square ft. is the size they will be for the forseeable future. It will be a longtime before Meijer fattens up to the like of the 250,000 square ft. monster in Lansing or even the Knapp Corner Location.

[tommygrand20]

Boy from the pictures in this post of the Ionia one and my memory from regular visits to the Kzoo/M-6 Meijer they sure seem pretty much the same on the exterior to me. Care to elaborate on what the differences are?

The M-6/Kzoo Meijers is Identical to the Stdl/LakeMI Meijers. The appearance is very simmilar to the Grandville Meijers with a tan brick facade and enterances with a painted stuco finish and triangualr roofs. Looks nothing like the Ionia meijer. I do believe that the new meijers in Holland and Muskegon are the same model as Ionia.

[tommygrand20]

Two questions:

I currently live less then a mile from the kzoo/28th Meijers and I hate it. I can shop there with my eyes closed, but I have recently been shopping at other Meijers (Standale/Cascade) and I can barely stand going back to the old kzoo/28th Meijers.

Question 1- Will they ever fully rnovate this store or even replace?

Question 2- If not renovate or replace, will they ever consider closing it?

It seems like a highly ineffecient store that must have a high price too keep running, but it is always busy and must be profitable. What will happen to this store and when?

[civitas]

The Alpine Store is quite a bit smaller than the new stores. My guess is that the Alpine store is about 150,000 square feet at the most while the new stores are 207,000 square feet in size.

I think you'll find the Alpine store is over 200,000 SF. It's about 430' wide and 480' deep.

[snoogit]

[snip]

Man you got a lot to say about the Alpine Meijer

I will say this:

The Alpine Meijer is 215,000 sq ft. !BUT! this is inflated because the second story of the store in included in this estimate, which is around 20,000 sq ft on its own, and you have the dual checkout lanes which also take up space.

[mejane]

"Thifty Acers"

"Acres"

Edited June 6, 2006 by mejane

[tamias6]

I think you'll find the Alpine store is over 200,000 SF. It's about 430' wide and 480' deep.

Its probably the drop ceilings the dull paint job and the very dark exposed rafter ceilings over the grocery end that makes the building look small. Its outdated look dosen't help matters too. If your building measurment numbers are accurate, that places the building's footprint at 206,400 ft. That's only 600 sq ft shy of the 207,000 sq. ft needed by a Meijer's new store layout. Adding in the second story to the mix which I've heard is 20,000 sq. ft, will yeild a total of 227,000 sq. ft. If this is right then Meijer could upgrade the Alpine Store to a more modern and up to date form.

Some would argue that the Alpine store is too old to salvage. But Meijer is putting the finishing touches to a huge renovation of the Jenison Store off of Chicago Drive. I've been to that location last week and it looks just like the modern stores on the inside. Granted the Jenison building is bigger and a bit roomier, its similar in age as the Alpine Store. So I say Meijer could have a viable option of renovating the Alpine store. It could save them from having to battle NIMBY's and Township and/ or City counsiles already on edge over the prospects of the Alpine Wal-Mart wanting to build a supercenter. However, I still lean toward Meijer replacing the Alpine store out right with a brand new facility elswhere on Alpine.

[RustTown]

Just thought I'd add that I like all the Meijer stores here in Lansing, and particularly the one in East Lansing (Lake Lansing Meijer with the food-court). I like them much better than Wal-Marts, which I avoid like the plague. lol

[Kayak1]

Forget all this Meijer and Wal-Mart talk. Give me Save A Lot, Tractor Supply and Pamida and I am a happy man.