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, leading to speculation that the company was losing profitability and market share. 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. This former Meijer logo was first commissioned in 1984 for the chain's 50th anniversary and was used until July 11, 2004. Another Meijer store in Bolingbrook opened on Boughton Road by The Promenade in May 2002, three years after the Weber Road location. A year later in 2000, three Illinois Meijer locations would open in Aurora, St. The first Meijer location in the Chicago region opened on Augon Weber Road in Bolingbrook. Following this, the Merrillville location opened to the public on August 4, 1998, while the Highland location officially opened on April 20, 1999. The first Meijer location in the Northwest Indiana region opened in August 1997 in Michigan City. In 1998, three new Meijer locations opened in the Louisville area on Dixie Highway, Preston Highway and South Hurstbourne Parkway. Two more Kentucky locations would open on Paul Jones Way in Lexington and Towne Center Drive in Louisville in 1997. This also marked the chain's reentry into that state. In 1996, the first regular Kentucky Meijer location in opened Florence, along with four nearby locations in Ohio which were Fairfield, Loveland, West Chester and Eastgate North Drive in Cincinnati. The first location in Indiana opened on Grape Road in Mishawaka in 1994, followed by the first Illinois store in Champaign (Store #146) in 1995. ĭuring the mid-1990s, Meijer expanded to three additional states. By contrast, surveys said then and now that Meijer ranks high on produce quality. The quality of the produce is very important poor-quality produce sold by Walmart was the main reason for their lack of success. 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. Walton launched the first Hypermart USA store in 1987, opening only four stores, the last in 1990. In 1985, 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. Meijer's stand-alone grocery operations continued until the early 1990s, as the larger stores became dominant. Under his leadership, the Thrifty Acres stores became a success and were renamed Meijer in 1986. įred Meijer took over the company upon his father's death in 1964. Meijer expanded into Northern Michigan with their 33rd location in Traverse City opening in 1977, which is still open to this day. This was followed by the first Mid-Michigan location in Delta Charter Township, Michigan, in 1966 and the first Metro Detroit store in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1972. The second such store opened in Norton Shores later that year, followed by two more in 1964, one on Alpine Avenue in Walker, Michigan, and one on Westnedge Avenue in Portage, Michigan. New stores were built in the same manner until the mid-1970s, when an architect mentioned the extra cost to management. The store was built with six-inch (152-mm) thick floors, so should the concept fail, the nongrocery half could be converted into an indoor car dealership. At a size of 180,000 square feet (17,000 m 2), it combined grocery shopping and department store shopping in a single large store. In 1962, Meijer launched its modern format, with a store at the corner of 28th Street and Kalamazoo Avenue in Grand Rapids. By the 1960s, the company had over two dozen stores located throughout West Michigan. The first Grand Rapids store opened on South Division Avenue in 1949. The Greenville store was successful and additional Meijer groceries were opened in Cedar Springs (1942) and Ionia (1946). He also offered staple items, such as vinegar, at bargain prices. After studying trends in the grocery industry, Meijer was among the first stores to offer self-service shopping and shopping carts. The current co-chairmen, brothers Hank and Doug Meijer, are Hendrik's grandsons. His first employees included his 14-year-old son, Frederik Meijer, who later became chairman of the company. Meijer was a local barber who entered the grocery business during the Great Depression. Meijer was founded as Meijer's in Greenville, Michigan, in 1934 by Hendrik Meijer, a Dutch immigrant.
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