Meijer Opens Chicago-area ‘Marketplace’ Concept

Less than two years after launching its first new format store in the Chicago market, Meijer has delivered another new concept to its Chicago-area customers as it officially cuts the ribbon on Meijer Marketplace, a more localized grocery store in the suburb of Melrose Park.

“Meijer is thrilled to bring our newest store concept to this great community,” said Hank Meijer, co-chairman and CEO of the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer. “Our team has worked very hard to bring the great Meijer experience to our new customers in the Melrose Park area, and we're very proud to join this vibrant neighborhood.”

The grand opening celebration is scheduled to begin Aug. 25 with a ribbon-cutting event, followed by remarks by Meijer officials and local dignitaries. Meijer will present a check for $25,000 to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, which will use the money to support local youth programs and the parish’s food bank.

“We are proud to welcome Meijer to our community as a great place to both shop and work,” said Melrose Park Mayor Ronald Serpico. “Meijer, along with other new businesses in Melrose Park, are helping to lead the charge in the economic redevelopment of the near-west suburbs. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with them.”

At 90,000 square feet, Meijer Marketplace will be nearly half the size of Meijer’s largest supercenters. The smaller-format store will offer the Melrose Park community the “Higher Standards and Lower Prices” that Meijer customers have come to expect, featuring national and Meijer-branded grocery items, along with a full-service pharmacy offering a variety of national and Meijer-brand health and beauty products.

Offering a “mini supercenter” concept, much of the focus on the new store will be on providing local customers with a tailored grocery shopping experience, with fresh quality meats and produce, as well as a wide variety of deli, bakery and pantry items.

The store will include a targeted assortment of Hispanic produce, Italian deli meats, European cookies, a fresh sushi bar and more than 40 varieties of Hispanic beer, providing a new shopping option for the ethnically diverse community nearby.
In the general merchandise area, the store will feature key categories such as electronics, seasonal items, toys, home, kitchen and bath items, and a pet department, with numerous national brand products. Meijer will maintain an open dialogue with its Melrose Park customers and make adjustments to product offerings based on the specific needs of the local community.

Meijer opened its first Chicago-area store in Bolingbrook in 1999. With the addition of Melrose Park, Meijer now has 14 stores in the Chicago area, ranging in size from full supercenters to smaller, grocery-focused stores in Niles and Orland Park. Meijer employs nearly 3,000 team members in the Chicago area, with more than 150 new jobs created by the Melrose Park opening.

Meijer operates 197 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.