History of Meijer in Timeline

Meijer is an American supercenter chain operating primarily in the Midwestern United States. Founded in 1934 and headquartered in Walker, Michigan, it is recognized for pioneering the supercenter concept in 1962. The chain operates approximately 259 stores across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Wisconsin, with about half located in Michigan. Meijer is ranked as the 14th-largest private company in the United States by Forbes and the 23rd-largest retailer by revenue as of 2023.

1934: Meijer's Founded by Hendrik Meijer

In 1934, Hendrik Meijer, a Dutch immigrant and barber, founded Meijer's in Greenville, Michigan. His first employee was his 14-year-old son, Frederik Meijer. The store offered self-service shopping, shopping carts, and bargain-priced staple items.

1934: Meijer Founded

In 1934, Meijer was founded as a supermarket chain. The company is now credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept.

1942: Expansion to Cedar Springs

In 1942, Meijer expanded with a new grocery store opening in Cedar Springs, Michigan, following the success of the original Greenville store.

1946: Expansion to Ionia

In 1946, Meijer expanded its grocery operations by opening a new store in Ionia, Michigan.

1949: First Grand Rapids Store Opens

In 1949, Meijer opened its first store in Grand Rapids, Michigan, located on South Division Avenue, marking further expansion in West Michigan.

1962: Pioneering the Supercenter Concept

In 1962, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept, integrating grocery and department store shopping.

1962: Launch of Thrifty Acres

In 1962, Meijer launched the modern format with the opening of "Thrifty Acres" in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a 180,000 square foot store combining grocery and department store shopping.

1962: First Thrifty Acres Store Opened

In 1962, Meijer opened the first Thrifty Acres store, combining a multitude of merchandise under one roof and pioneering the "supermarket" or "superstore" concept in the U.S.

1964: Fred Meijer Takes Over

In 1964, Fred Meijer assumed leadership of the company following his father's death.

1966: First Mid-Michigan Location

In 1966, Meijer expanded with its first Mid-Michigan location in Delta Charter Township.

1972: Meijer Enters Flint Market

In 1972, Meijer entered the Flint market with a location on Pierson Road in Mount Morris Township, Michigan.

1972: Expansion into Southeast Michigan

In 1972, Meijer expanded into Southeast Michigan, beginning with a store in Ypsilanti.

1974: First Metro Detroit Location

In 1974, Meijer opened its first Metro Detroit location in Canton, Michigan.

1977: Expansion into Northern Michigan

In 1977, Meijer expanded into Northern Michigan with a store location in Traverse City.

1980: Launch of Spaar Pharmacy Chain

In 1980, Meijer began a discount pharmacy chain called Spaar, opening four stores in former Meijer supermarket locations.

1981: Opening of Meijer Square Stores

In 1981, Meijer began opening Meijer Square stores, which were traditional discount department stores lacking a full grocery section. Fourteen locations of Twin Fair were converted to Meijer Square, and two stores were opened in Michigan.

1982: Casual Court Renamed Tansy

In 1982, Casual Court, a specialty clothing store chain owned by Meijer, was renamed Tansy.

1985: Walmart's Hypermarket Failure

In 1985, Forbes magazine reported that Walmart had failed in the hypermarket concept due to a lack of understanding of the grocery business, highlighting Meijer's success in contrast.

1986: Thrifty Acres Renamed Meijer

In 1986, the Thrifty Acres stores were renamed Meijer, marking a significant branding change under Fred Meijer's leadership.

1987: Walmart Launches Hypermart USA

In 1987, Walmart launched the first Hypermart USA store, opening only four stores in total.

1988: Sale of Sagebrush

In 1988, Sagebrush, a casual wear store chain owned by Meijer comprising 71 stores at its peak, was sold off.

1989: Curved Window Store Design

In 1989, Meijer started building stores featuring a curved wall of windows that ran along the area between the entrances.

1990: Closure of Last Hypermart USA

In 1990, the last of Walmart's Hypermart USA stores closed, with Forbes Magazine noting Meijer's understanding of the food business as a key differentiator.

1992: First SourceClub Store Opened

In 1992, Meijer opened its first warehouse club store, SourceClub.

1993: Curved Window Store Design

In 1993, Meijer built stores featuring a curved wall of windows that ran along the area between the entrances.

April 19, 1994: First Indiana Location Opens

On April 19, 1994, Meijer opened its first location in Indiana on Grape Road in Mishawaka, marking the beginning of expansion to additional states.

1994: SourceClub Stores Closed

In 1994, all seven SourceClub stores were closed due to unsuccessful competition. The Fraser, Michigan location was converted to a Meijer store.

1994: Indiana Expansion with Whimsical Design

In the early 1990s, specifically during the 1994 expansion into Indiana, Meijer introduced a "whimsical" design prototype for their rollouts, featuring different shapes and roofing designs including a yellow pineapple.

April 4, 1995: First Illinois Store Opens

On April 4, 1995, Meijer opened its first Illinois store in Champaign (Store #146), continuing its expansion into new states.

1995: Illinois Expansion

In 1995, Meijer expanded into Illinois and introduced slight variations of the "whimsical" design prototype.

May 1996: Return to Cincinnati and Kentucky

In May 1996, Meijer returned to Cincinnati and Kentucky after Hills and Ames had closed all of their Ohio stores.

1996: Kentucky and Ohio Expansion

In 1996, Meijer expanded by opening its first regular Kentucky store in Florence, as well as four stores in nearby Ohio, marking the chain's reentry into Ohio. The Ohio stores were located in Fairfield, Loveland, West Chester and Eastgate North Drive in Cincinnati.

1996: Kentucky Reentry

In 1996, Meijer reentered Kentucky and introduced slight variations of the "whimsical" design prototype.

August 5, 1997: Presidential Prototype Debuted

On August 5, 1997, the store in Fort Gratiot Township, Michigan, debuted the Presidential prototype. The logo was moved to the center of the building.

August 1997: First Northwest Indiana Location Opens

In August 1997, Meijer opened its first location in the Northwest Indiana region, specifically in Michigan City.

1997: Further Kentucky Expansion

In 1997, Meijer opened two additional locations in Kentucky: one on Paul Jones Way in Lexington and another on Towne Center Drive in Louisville.

August 4, 1998: Merrillville Location Opens

On August 4, 1998, the Meijer location in Merrillville, Indiana, opened to the public.

1998: More Louisville Locations Open

In 1998, three new Meijer locations opened in the Louisville area, specifically on Dixie Highway, Preston Highway, and South Hurstbourne Parkway.

April 20, 1999: Highland Location Opens

On April 20, 1999, the Meijer location in Highland, Indiana, officially opened.

August 3, 1999: First Chicago Region Location Opens

On August 3, 1999, Meijer opened its first location in the Chicago region, on Weber Road in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

2000: Illinois Expansion Continues

In 2000, three new Meijer locations opened in Illinois, specifically in Aurora, St. Charles, and Springfield.

2000: Village Square Prototype Introduced

In the year 2000, the Presidential prototype was replaced with the Village Square prototype, which featured fake storefronts running across the front of the building and a barn-like section on which the Meijer logo was situated.

2001: Lawsuit over Religious Discrimination

In 2001, the federal government sued Meijer on behalf of a former employee, Debra Kerkstra, for violating her civil rights by firing her because she would not work on Sundays due to religious convictions.

May 2002: Second Bolingbrook Store Opens

In May 2002, a second Meijer store in Bolingbrook, Illinois, opened on Boughton Road by The Promenade, three years after the Weber Road location.

April 2003: Advertising Agency Selected

In April 2003, Meijer selected DeVito/Verdi, an award-winning advertising agency in New York, to handle its $25 million account.

2003: Corporate Layoffs

In late 2003, Meijer laid off 350 employees from corporate offices, distribution centers, and field offices due to increased competition from Walmart.

January 2004: Further Employee Reductions

In January 2004, Meijer laid off 1,896 employees and managerial staff, leading to speculation about the company's profitability and market share.

2005: Expansion Plan Announced

In 2005, despite earlier cutbacks, Meijer embarked on an expansion plan to increase its number of stores in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio.

2006: Meijer Donates to Calvin College

In 2006, Meijer donated money to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to create the Frederik Meijer Chair of Dutch Language and Culture.

2006: Outsourcing of IT Positions

In 2006, Meijer outsourced 81 information technology positions to India as part of continuing cutbacks.

February 2007: Meijer Involved in Recall Effort

In February 2007, Meijer was involved in an effort to recall the elected officials of Acme Township in Grand Traverse County.

May 2007: First LEED-Certified Store Opens

In May 2007, the first LEED-certified Meijer store opened in Allen Park, Michigan.

July 2007: Management Restructuring Announced

In July 2007, Meijer announced it would be "restructuring" its Team Leader management positions in all 181 stores, stating layoffs would be "minimal".

August 2007: Management Layoffs Announced

In August 2007, Meijer announced they were cutting about 500 managers (12% of existing management staff), who were given severance packages or reassigned to different positions.

2008: Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index Score

In 2008, Meijer scored 0% on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index.

2009: Meijer Marketplace Concept Announced

In 2009, Meijer announced a new concept called Meijer Marketplace in the Chicago region, featuring smaller stores focusing on grocery items and pharmacy.

2009: Human Rights Campaign Score Increase

In 2009, Meijer's score on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index began to increase after the company amended its nondiscrimination policy to include sexual orientation.

2010: First Meijer Marketplace Stores Open

In 2010, the first Meijer Marketplace stores opened in Niles and Orland Park, Illinois.

November 25, 2011: Death of Frederik Meijer

On November 25, 2011, Frederik Meijer died at the age of 91.

2011: Melrose Park Marketplace Opens

In 2011, a Meijer Marketplace store opened in Melrose Park, Illinois.

2012: Distribution Center Purchased in Wisconsin

In 2012, Meijer purchased a distribution center in Pleasant Prairie from SuperValu to help promote its expansion into Wisconsin.

2012: Berwyn Marketplace Opens

In 2012, a Meijer Marketplace store opened in Berwyn, Illinois.

July 25, 2013: First Detroit Store Opens

On July 25, 2013, Meijer opened its first store within the city of Detroit, located in the Gateway Marketplace development.

2013: 200th Supercenter Opens

In 2013, Meijer opened its 200th supercenter in Swartz Creek, Michigan.

2013: Forbes Ranking

In 2013, Meijer ranked No. 19 in Forbes list of top 20 Private Companies.

April 2014: First Fresh Thyme Store Opened

In April 2014, Chris Sherrell, the founder of Fresh Thyme, opened the first store in his chain in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

2014: Southern-most Store Opens

In 2014, Meijer expanded with its southern-most store in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which included a Tesla supercharger in the parking lot.

2014: Advertisement in Milwaukee Brewers Stadium

In 2014, Meijer placed an advertisement along the outfield wall of Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, in anticipation of the company's expansion into Wisconsin.

2014: Meijer Accepts Apple Pay and CurrentC

In 2014, Meijer was the first retailer to accept both Apple Pay and CurrentC for purchases in its stores and gas stations.

March 2015: Purchase of Memorial Mall in Sheboygan

In March 2015, Meijer bought the largely vacant Memorial Mall in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

June 11, 2015: Second Detroit Location Opens

On June 11, 2015, Meijer opened its second location within the city of Detroit, at the site of the former Redford High School.

June 2015: First Wisconsin Locations Open

In June 2015, Meijer opened its first locations in Wisconsin.

November 2015: Acme Township Store Opened

In November 2015, the Meijer store in Acme Township, Grand Traverse County, eventually opened after a long-awaited grand opening.

June 18, 2016: Niles Marketplace Closes

On June 18, 2016, the Meijer Marketplace store in Niles, Illinois, closed.

2016: Human Rights Campaign Score Increased

By 2016, Meijer increased their score to 85% on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index.

June 17, 2017: Melrose Park and Berwyn Marketplaces Close

On June 17, 2017, the Meijer Marketplace stores in Melrose Park and Berwyn, Illinois, closed. The Berwyn store space was later occupied by Tony's Fresh Market in 2018.

2017: Northeastern Wisconsin Expansion

In 2017, Meijer expanded into the Northeastern Wisconsin market with stores in Howard and Grand Chute. Meijer also opened its first stores in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Escanaba and Sault Ste. Marie.

2018: Continued Expansion in Northeastern Wisconsin

In 2018, Meijer continued its expansion in the Northeastern Wisconsin market with stores in Howard and Grand Chute.

2018: Bridge Street Market Opened

In 2018, Meijer opened the Bridge Street Market, a smaller concept grocery store in Grand Rapids.

2018: Tony's Fresh Market Relocates to Former Berwyn Meijer Marketplace

In 2018, Tony's Fresh Market relocated from its previous location in North Riverside to the former Meijer Marketplace store in Berwyn.

April 2019: New Sheboygan Store Opens

In April 2019, after demolishing much of the existing structure, Meijer replaced the Memorial Mall in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, with a new store.

2019: Expansion into Cleveland-Akron Market

In 2019, Meijer expanded into the Cleveland–Akron market with stores in Stow, Mentor, and Avon, Ohio.

2020: Expansion into Youngstown Area

In 2020, Meijer expanded into the Youngstown area with stores in Boardman and Austintown, Ohio.

2020: Woodward Corner Market and Capital City Market Opened

In 2020, Meijer opened two similar markets: Woodward Corner Market in Royal Oak, Michigan and Capital City Market in Lansing.

2020: Perfect Score on Human Rights Campaign Index

In 2020, Meijer's score increased to a 100% with the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index.

2021: Fresh Thyme offers Meijer Branded Items

In 2021, Fresh Thyme Farmers Market began offering a "broad assortment of Meijer branded items".

2021: Rivertown Market Opened

In 2021, Meijer opened Rivertown Market in Detroit.

January 26, 2023: First Meijer Grocery Locations Opened

On January 26, 2023, Meijer introduced its standard-sized grocery store concept, Meijer Grocery, with the opening of the first two locations in Lake Orion and Macomb Township, Michigan.

May 25, 2023: Meijer Becomes Detroit Tigers Jersey Patch Partner

On May 25, 2023, Meijer became the official jersey patch partner of the Detroit Tigers of the MLB.

2023: Ranked Among Largest Retailers

As of 2023, Meijer is ranked as the country's 23rd-largest retailer by revenue, according to Forbes.

January 2024: Fresh Thyme Store Count

By January 2024, Fresh Thyme had 70 stores across 10 Midwestern states.

June 2024: Potential Expansion into Western Pennsylvania

In June 2024, Meijer was reported to be scouting the Western Pennsylvania region, including Pittsburgh, for a possible expansion, which would mark Meijer's first presence in Pennsylvania.