Meijer opened its first two Meijer Grocery stores in Lake Orion and Macomb Township on Thursday, offering a smaller format shopping option for communities in Michigan.
"As a company, we've opened more than 500 supercenters, neighborhood markets, and Meijer Express locations, and that feeling of excitement and anticipation as you welcome customers in for the first time never gets old," executive chairman Hank Meijer said in a statement. "But opening the doors of these stores feels particularly special because of the unique need they'll fulfill in our customers' everyday lives."
Meijer Grocery is the grocer's newest store format focused on providing a streamlined shopping experience for day-to-day needs. The stores' condensed footprints of 75,000-90,000 square feet include the most essential grocery categories, including fresh produce and grocery, household needs, in-store meat cutters, a bakery equipped with cake decorators, a full-service deli, and a pharmacy.
Both stores feature three checkout methods: staffed lanes, self-checkout, and Shop & Scan. The store is also equipped with Meijer Home Delivery and Pickup options. Both Meijer Grocery locations also offer free access to Aira, an app-based service that provides live navigation assistance to blind and low-vision customers using their smartphone cameras.
"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," said Meijer president and CEO Rick Keyes in a statement. "When we plan a new store, our relationship with that community begins long before the doors open, and strengthens as we grow."
Each Meijer Grocery store donated $10,000 to a local nonprofit last week; 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 in celebration of their openings.
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