The first smaller format Meijer Grocery stores open in Michigan

Meijer has opened the first two of its smaller format Meijer Grocery outlets in Michigan’s Orion Township and Macomb Township.

The condensed layout is designed to simplify the shopping experience, Meijer said, with stores ranging from 75,000 to 90,000 square feet, compared to approximately 150,000 square feet for newer Meier supercenter locations.

Outlets will have products and services from the “essential” categories a customer might need for a quick trip or weekly restock, the company said. That includes fresh produce and grocery; in-store meat cutters; a bakery equipped with in-store cake decorators; a full-service deli; in-store and drive-thru pharmacy; health & beauty care; baby, pets, and household essentials; and card & party and floral.

In addition, the stores will have local brands along with the same technologies and services that are available at traditional Meijer supercenter locations, like the Shop and Scan technology which allows shoppers to avoid the checkout while paying with their smart phones, as well as home delivery and pickup.

Meijer Grocery designs also feature wide aisles for quick navigation and rear-access coolers that allow employees to refill refrigerated items without crowding the sales floor. Each store, meanwhile, has a family restroom equipped with an adult-changing table, a feature that also is available in several of the retailer’s supercenters.

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In conjunction with the openings, each Meijer Grocery gave $10,000 to a local nonprofit last week, the company said. The Lake Orion store donated to The Village Food Pantry at Woodside Bible Church and the Macomb location supported the Macomb Charitable Foundation. Both expect to make an additional $15,000 in donations in the coming weeks.

“We look forward to seeing these new stores further our mission of enriching lives in the communities we serve, not just by offering convenient shopping solutions and positive economic impact, but also as strong and active community partners,” Meijer President & CEO Rick Keyes said in a statement.

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer operates 501 supercenters, neighborhood markets, Meijer Grocery and Express locations throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.