Dive Brief:
- Meijer has announced the opening of five supercenters across the Midwest, according to a company press release. The centers are located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Sycamore, Illinois; Bad Axe, Michigan; and Brimfield and Lorain, Ohio.
- Each supercenter spans 159,000 square feet and offers a “specialty store environment,” the company said. The stores will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight.
- In addition to grocery items including fresh produce and meat, the new stores carry items like electronics and women’s apparel. The locations also have pharmacies and feature beauty, baby and pet departments.
Dive Insight:
The goal of the new stores, according to a statement from CEO Rick Keyes, is to offer Meijer customers an improved one-stop shopping experience, especially during a time when people are looking for more convenience and want to make fewer trips to stores due to the pandemic.
Meijer has taken standard COVID-19-related safety measures and health precautions in the new stores. The retailer said the supercenters will have safety decals on the floor and protective plexiglass shields at checkout counters. Associates will receive daily health and temperature checks and be asked to wear masks. The stores will request, but not require, customers to cover their faces.
In addition, the supercenters will dedicate specific shopping hours to senior citizens, customers with health conditions and essential service workers as well as their own associates. Local reports said the company won’t be holding grand opening celebrations so it can keep crowds to a minimum due to COVID.
Meijer has made donations to the communities where the new supercenters are located. In Manitowoc, for example, the Herald Times Reporter said the retailer gave $34,000 to local organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and the Manitowoc School District. Altogether, Meijer said it has contributed more than $150,000 to 16 charitable organizations in the cities.
The company, which operates 253 stores in six Midwestern states, has its eye on continued expansion in the region. According to Cleveland.com, construction for another Meijer supercenter, set to open next summer, is well underway. Meijer also opened three supercenters in Northeast Ohio last year.
While it seems to be investing heavily in larger supercenters, Meijer also launched a new small format, Woodward Corner Market, in January. The company plans to open six of the urban stores by 2021.
Other grocers to move ahead with store openings amid the pandemic include Lidl and Raley's, which have also foregone their traditional opening festivities due to safety concerns.
