US retailer Meijer is to invest US$160m in new and existing stores this year, creating 1,500 jobs.
The Michigan-based company will construct six new Meijer supercentres in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois and remodel an additional five stores in Michigan and Illinois.
Each new store will employ at least 250 full- and part-time workers.
The remodel projects will include a variety of improvements such as lighting, heating, refrigeration, exterior lighting and parking lot maintenance. New technology will also be installed to reduce energy usage.
"We will continue our process of slow, steady growth," co-chairman and co-chief executive officer Hank Meijer said. "This has allowed us to focus on our customers and team members, while supporting the communities where they work and live."
Meijer Announces Investment of More Than $160 Million in 2013 Six new supercenters, five remodel projects to create more than 1,500 new jobs in Michigan, Illinois and Indiana communities
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Meijer will finalize an investment of more than $160 million in new and remodeled stores this year, Co-Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer Hank Meijer announced today.
The investment includes the construction of six new Meijer supercenters and major remodel projects for an additional five stores. Michigan, Indiana and Illinois will each welcome two new Meijer supercenters, with remodel projects planned at an additional four Michigan stores and one Meijer location in Illinois.
"We are pleased to continue to invest in the Midwest communities that have supported us for so long," Hank Meijer said. "By keeping prices low and maintaining our focus on customer service, we have been able to continue to grow during a tough economic cycle."
The opening of each new Meijer store represents at least 250 full- and part-time jobs. Meijer has opened 29 new stores since 2007, and remodeled dozens of others. This has resulted in the creation of thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of tax revenue pumped into local communities.
The new Meijer supercenters opening in 2013 include:
Swartz Creek, Michigan Portage, Indiana Detroit, Michigan Danville, Illinois Evergreen Park, Illinois Warsaw, Indiana
Meijer 2013 remodel projects include:
Lansing, Michigan (S. Pennsylvania Road) Taylor, Michigan Flint, Michigan (Hill Road) Springfield, Illinois Grand Rapids, Michigan (Knapp's Corner)
The remodel projects will include a variety of specific enhancements both in and outside the stores, such as lighting, heating, refrigeration, exterior lighting and parking lot maintenance. Additionally, the introduction of newer technology in key areas during the remodel process will result in reduced energy usage and more energy-efficient stores.
Two of the stores will go through a significantly more comprehensive remodel program. The South Pennsylvania Road Meijer in Lansing will be totally rebuilt, within a 14-month timeframe that will transform the aging site into an all-new store. The Knapp's Corner Meijer will be the first to benefit from a new Meijer flagship remodel that will test design elements which may be considered for future stores.
"We will continue our process of slow, steady growth," Hank Meijer said. "This has allowed us to focus on our customers and team members, while supporting the communities where they work and live."
About Meijer: Meijer is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer that operates 199 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. 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 electronics departments, garden centers and apparel offerings.
