Employer Quick Look

Meijer

(Private)  
Retail

10,000 - 25,000 employees  |  30 active jobs  |  Company Website

Overview Advertisement

In 1934, a modest local barber in Greenville, Michigan saw a need. It was the middle of the Great Depression and groceries were scarce. In an effort to take care of the customers who visited his barbershop, Hendrik Meijer purchased $328.76 worth of merchandise on credit. Together with his 14-year-old son, Fred, they opened Meijer Grocery. Navigating his small grocery business through the remaining years of the Great Depression and into the turbulent pre-war years, Hendrik Meijer continued to look for ways to innovate and provide higher levels of service to his customers. He renamed his store the "Thrift Market" and began broadening his business through the use of newspaper ads and fancy metal shopping carts. As World War II raged, Mr. Meijer pledged his company's support to the war effort and, just like the Arsenal of Democracy, women became a key part of the Meijer workforce, numbering nearly half of all team members. After the war, Meijer's growth began in earnest. The company acquired an office in Greenville and opened its first store in Grand Rapids, the second largest city in Michigan. As Meijer's customer base grew, the company asked them to help choose a name for a new symbol. Through a local contest, a customer suggested the name "Thrifty" for Meijer's little Dutch boy, who became the company's symbol for the next thirty years. As the baby boom began and technology became part of American life, Meijer embraced new ways to help its customers. The introduction of the automated conveyor belt helped customers speed down the checkout lane. Meijer was one of the first grocers in the region to use the automatic system. A new technology called television was welcomed into American homes and so was Meijer, which ventured into television advertising on the popular Romper Room show. In 1962 Meijer opened its first "Thrifty Acres," a food and general merchandise store that allowed customers to shop for everything they needed with just one trip to the store. It was the birth of the Supercenter and the springboard for a concept that would grow into a retail phenomenon. As time passed, Meijer gained momentum and continued to develop newer and more innovative ways to serve its customers. This included everything from the introduction of checkout scanners in the 1970's to the decision to open 24 hours in the 1980's to the launch of Meijer.com in the 1990's. Meijer's commitment to innovation has led to continued growth in both the number of Meijer supercenters and the company's geographic footprint. From the 1960's when the company had 26 stores and 4,000 team members in Michigan, to the more than 180 stores and 60,000 team members in five states that make up today's Meijer, the company continues to do business based on the simple philosophy that led Hendrik Meijer to start his business in 1934—take care of your customers, team members and your community. Did you know? Meijer is a retail supercenter offering a full Grocery department plus over 40 other departments including Fashion, Automotive, Home Decor, Health and Beauty Care, Pharmacy, Electronics, Pets and more! Meijer stores are open 24 hours a day, 364 days a year.

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