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New store formats put to test by Meijer

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer Inc. has introduced two store concepts that the retailer is testing as it seeks new ways to reach shoppers.

The smaller-format outlets are part of an expansion drive that also produced two traditional supercenters that opened in its home state earlier this summer.

Company officials said results of the experiment with a newly opened urban market in downtown Grand Rapids will determine how aggressively Meijer pursues its push into more densely populated neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, the retailer is experimenting with a newly designed convenience store and gas station near its headquarters here. The 5,500-square-foot outlet was opened on August 28 as the first Meijer convenience store with an adjacent Starbucks coffee shop. Among the convenience items offered in the store are fresh fruits and vegetables, doughnuts, wraps, beer, wine and a selection of grab-and-go meals supplied by Superior Foods, a Grand Rapids-based food service company.

Shoppers have the option of consuming food and beverages in an in-store seating area equipped with free Wi-Fi and phone charging stations.

The company is touting new features at the gas station, which has 18 fuel pumps, compared to 12 at its existing fuel-station format.

Each of the pumps features a “fast tap” technology that the company said expedites payment, and the pumps themselves deliver fuel at an accelerated pace.

Some of the pumps are outfitted to accommodate flex-fuel vehicles, Meijer said, and the company is planning to introduce electric-car charging stations on the premises later this year.

“We are proud to continue to roll out what we see as the future of convenience for our gas station patrons,” said Adam Whitney, vice president of gas stations and convenience stores for Meijer. The company operates 200 gas stations and convenience stores across its six-state footprint. It also has more than 240 supercenters and grocery stores.

Meijer’s new neighborhood market was opened last month under the Bridge Street Market banner.

The 37,000-square-foot store offers shoppers a full assortment of fresh food, local artisanal groceries, fresh meats, a deli counter, a bakery, and an expansive collection of health and beauty items. The store also hosts several local food and beverage shops, including a Sprinkles Donut outlet and a Mayan Buzz cafe.

Instead of dozens of choices for each type of food, Bridge Street Market offers four options: a Meijer brand version, a local variety, a specialty or high-end version, and an organic or gluten-free ­option.

The market anchors a mixed-use development spanning a city block that serves commercial, office and residential tenants.

“This is new territory for us, but we believe this is not only a smart business move and addresses the need for new ways to serve our changing customers, but it also positively impacts our community,” commented Rick Keyes, Meijer’s president and chief executive officer.

Meijer plans to open a half dozen urban markets by 2021, including one scheduled to open next year near downtown Detroit. Another is being planned in Michigan’s capital city of Lansing, which would open in 2020.

None of these stores will carry the Meijer name, but instead will bear banners related to their neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, the retailer remains committed to its supercenter format. Meijer in July opened the doors to its newest supercenter, a 155,000-square-foot outlet in Hudsonville, Mich., that the company said combines traditional design elements with a variety of new features, including the company’s Shop & Scan self-checkout technology, which is being piloted in the store.


ECRM_06-01-22


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