Meijer opens three new supercenters in Ohio, Indiana

Meijer has expanded its Midwestern retail footprint with the opening of three new supercenters, including two in Ohio and one in Indiana.

The new 155,000-square-foot stores, announced yesterday, are located in Seven Hills and Boardman, Ohio, and Westfield, Ind., giving Meijer a total of 259 supercenters and grocery stores across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.

“These new stores reinforce our ongoing commitment to serving the needs of communities at a time when everyone is looking for a one-stop shopping experience,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said in a statement. “We look forward to providing a customer-focused store that offers fresh options and innovation to help reshape how customers shop for the groceries and items they need while keeping their families safe.”

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer had last opened new supercenters in July 2020, when five 159,000-square-foot stores made their debut in Manitowoc, Wis.; Sycamore, Ill.; Bad Axe, Mich.; and Brimfield and Lorain, Ohio.

The past several years also have seen Meijer expand its neighborhood grocery concept in Michigan. The retailer opened Bridge Street Market, a 37,000-square-foot store on the west side of Grand Rapids, in late August 2018. That was followed by the 41,000-square-foot Woodward Corner Market in January 2020 and the 37,000-square-foot Capital City Market in downtown Lansing in October 2020.

Related:Meijer surpasses 1 million COVID-19 vaccinations

Plans call for the fourth small-format store, the 42,000-square-foot Rivertown Market, to open later this year in Detroit’s East Jefferson Corridor.

Meijer said the latest supercenters in Ohio and Indiana house more than 600 varieties of farm-fresh produce, 150 USD-certified organic items, a full-service meat department, a pharmacy, and a large pet department offering 500 varieties of treats for dogs and cats, premium foods and 200 pet toys. The retailer noted that the stores’ general merchandise selection includes items more often found in specialty stores, ranging from women’s apparel — with “on-trend styles in every size, on the same rack, at the same price” — to beauty care and an expansive baby department.

Amenities at the new supercenters include Shop & Scan, which allows customers to use a mobile app to scan product barcodes and bag their items as they shop to speed checkout, as well as Meijer Home Delivery and Pickup for groceries and other online orders.

Meijer said the new stores are currently operating under adjusted hours and maintaining COVID-19 safety measures. Floor decals indicate proper social distancing, while plexiglass shields at all checkout stations provide an additional safeguard. The company added that it continues to require all people entering a Meijer store or Meijer Express station — shoppers and staff included — to wear a face covering.

Related:Meijer sheds light on COVID year-one shopping trends

“Throughout the past few months, our Meijer team members have worked diligently to prepare these new stores amid unprecedented challenges, and for that we are all proud and inspired,” Keyes added. “We are looking forward to providing the important items our customers need in the cleanest shopping environment as we work together in the new communities that have welcomed us.”