Meijer in Chicagoland

Guest blogger Lance Jungmeyer chiming in ...

Meijer is renewing its push into the greater Chicago area.

This article from the Detroit News shows how the retailer has added 14 locations in Chicago and its suburbs since 2000. That's not a huge amount, but it speaks volumes about Meijer's confidence to push so aggressively into a very competitive market.

The Grand Rapids, Mich., chain has had to fend off Wal-Mart in its core markets, and now it is looking to expand on its own terms. The retailer added a 200,000 square foot store in Plainfield, Ill., last year. That was the firm's largest location yet.

To tackle growth in Chicago and the vicinity, Meijer tapped Don Fitzgerald, former vice president of marketing operations at Dominick's, to head up regional merchandising.

A Detroit-area retail analyst, quoted in the story, had this to say:

"The produce is extremely fresh, the quality is phenomenal," said Ed Nakfoor, a Birmingham-based retail consultant. "They're trying to become a more relevant retailer. They're looking pretty sophisticated."

Meijer has 179 stores and plans to add two more this year, according to the article.

Produce dealers in Chicago, no doubt, are watching with bated breath.