Grand Rapids, Mich., 2016-Aug-05 — /EPR Retail News/ — Meijer opened a new 192,000-square-foot supercenter today in Waukesha, Wis., bringing local shoppers better access to low prices on high-quality merchandise, fresh produce delivered daily, and a full-service pharmacy that makes family health care a priority.
“It has been a great privilege bringing the Meijer difference to customers in Wisconsin over the past 12 months and we look forward to continued expansion in the upcoming years,” CEO Hank Meijer said. “This is our sixth store in the state, and we are excited to continue our commitment to providing healthier, fresher options and build on our reputation for a great shopping experience here in Waukesha.”
The Waukesha store is one of nine new Meijer supercenters to open – and part of an investment of more than $400 million in new and remodeled stores – this year, which is creating 3,000 new jobs across the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer’s six-state footprint. The Waukesha store is at 801 E. Sunset Drive.
In 2015, Meijer opened its first four Wisconsin supercenters in Grafton, Kenosha, Wauwatosa and Oak Creek. In addition to the Waukesha location, Meijer also opened a supercenter in Sussex earlier this summer. Meijer has made a major commitment to growth in Wisconsin and plans to open two to three additional stores per year through 2020, including potential locations in the Green Bay, Fox Valley, Greenfield, Manitowoc, and Sheboygan area in the next several years.
“We’re thrilled to open our doors to the Waukesha community today,” Store Director Phil Kelley said. “We’ve worked hard for this moment and can’t wait to provide our customers with our incredible combination of selection and quality at lower prices.”
The new Meijer store was built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and will be open 24 hours a day. The grocery options that Meijer offers include more than 600 varieties of farm-fresh produce and a full-service meat department that features fresh seafood, Certified Angus Beef and custom cuts of meat. The bakery specializes in custom-decorated cakes and fresh bread baked four times daily.
The opening celebration began with a ribbon-cutting event, followed by remarks from Meijer leadership and local officials. Store Director Phil Kelley demonstrated the store’s commitment to the community by presenting $25,000 to the City of Waukesha to help fund improvements at the Les Paul Performance Center, Cutler Park and Waukesha Public Library. The renovations could include building a concession area, restroom upgrades and improvements to the Waukesha Public Library Community Room.
Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, students from La Casa de Esperanza went back-to-school shopping with Meijer gifts cards to get a jump start on this year’s school supply list.
As part of its ongoing community support, Meijer donates more than 7 percent of its net profit to charitable organizations annually, and each of its stores works with local food pantries and banks to help fight hunger at the local level. Since 2008, the retailer’s Simply Give program has generated nearly $24 million for its food pantry partners throughout the Midwest. This year’s fall Simply Give campaign will run through Sept. 24 and all proceeds will be donated to the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.
In addition to the retailer’s traditional grocery and merchandise, garden center and 24-hour gas station, the new Waukesha pharmacy will offer drive-thru pick up and the company’s free prescription program. The prescription program includes leading oral generic antibiotics with a special focus on prescriptions most often filled for children, prenatal vitamins and medications for those with diabetes and high cholesterol. Since its inception in 2006, the program has filled more than 34 million free prescriptions, saving Meijer customers more than $473 million.
About Meijer:
Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 229 super centers and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. As a pioneer of the “one-stop shopping” concept, Meijer stores have evolved through the years to include expanded fresh produce and meat departments, as well as pharmacies, comprehensive apparel departments, garden centers and electronics offerings. Additional information on Meijer can be found at www.meijer.com. Follow Meijer on Twitter @twitter.com/Meijer or become a fan at www.facebook.com/meijer.
Contact:
Joe Hirschmugl
joseph.hirschmugl@meijer.com
616-791-3943
Source: Meijer
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