Which American supercenter chain, founded in 1934 in Greenville, Michigan, operates in the Midwest? The answer is Meijer.
Hendrik Meijer, a Dutch immigrant and local barber, opened Meijer’s North Side Grocery in Greenville during the Great Depression. His teenage son, Frederik Meijer, worked in the business and later helped guide its growth. The company expanded from neighborhood grocery stores into large-format retail.
Meijer became an early innovator in self-service shopping and the use of shopping carts. Its modern stores combine groceries with departments selling clothing, electronics, household goods, toys, pharmacy products, and other merchandise, which is why the company is described as a supercenter chain.
The chain remains concentrated in the Great Lakes and Midwest, serving Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. It is often confused with Target or Walmart because all three operate large general-merchandise stores; Kroger, by contrast, is primarily identified as a supermarket chain.