Meijer

Our History

In 1934, a modest local barber in Greenville, Michigan had a need and saw an opportunity. 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 $ worth of merchandise on credit. Together with his 14-year-old son, Fred, they opened North Side Grocery.

Meijer continued to look for ways to innovate and provide higher levels of service to his customers. He renamed his store Meijer's Grocery and began broadening his business through the use of newspaper ads and fancy metal shopping carts. As World War II raged, Hendrik 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, growth at Meijer 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 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 the Meijer little Dutch Boy mascot, 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. When television took over in the 1950s, Meijer soon followed, 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.

Meijer has always been a leader in finding and using new technology, 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 in the 1990's. At Meijer, we always continue to develop newer and more innovative ways to serve our customers.

Our commitment to innovation and taking care of our customers has led to continued growth throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. From the 1960's when the company had 26 stores and 4,000 team members in Michigan, to the more than 230 stores and 75,000 team members in six 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—meeting the needs of our customers, team members and the communities we serve.