Meijer is building a new location on W. Carleton Road. Kaylee McGhee | Collegian

Meijer says its hiring process is going well, even as other local businesses suffer from labor shortages.

As part of its expansion in Hillsdale, Meijer plans to fill more than 350 positions across various departments. Erin Cataldo, Meijer’s public relations manager, said those employed by the company will receive benefits such as weekly pay, team member discounts, and paid parental leave. Meijer also offers advancement opportunities.  

“Hiring is going very well so far, and we’re excited to see the support from the community,” Cataldo said.

Cataldo said Meijer has a history of investing in the areas they serve.

“We are a family-owned company started in Michigan nearly 90 years ago, and we’ve been investing in our communities ever since,” she said.

Meanwhile, local businesses are struggling to find and keep employees.

Dena Walters, owner of the Local Eatery, said perpetual turnover and the impact of external factors like inflation and changing consumer habits make finding and keeping staff difficult.

“There is a lot of time and effort put into hiring someone new; a lot of resources go into it,” Walters said. 

Currently, she is looking to expand her team. 

“I’m trying to hire some new staff — not to get rid of who I currently have, but just to fill the gap that I have,” Walters said. 

The Local Eatery is looking to hire one additional cook and waitress, Walters said. 

In addition, Walter said that the ongoing struggle with staff turnover has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the new competition from marijuana dispensaries in Hillsdale County for labor (although marijuana is not legal in the City of Hillsdale). 

“You don’t have to have the qualifications to distribute marijuana, you just have to be trained,” Walters said. “So when the market got flooded with people opening these new marijuana dispensaries, we lost a lot of employees to that.”

Walters’ struggle to find staff willing to work in the demanding conditions of the food service sector mirrors a widespread issue affecting many local businesses.

“The restaurant industry is notoriously tough, and finding dedicated staff has become even harder,” Walters said. “It’s a double-edged sword with inflation rates and people not wanting to work.”

Walters recognized that many quit their jobs for positive reasons. 

“One thing I feel like I have been blessed with is that most of the people that I have lost is because  they’re reaching out for a different job that makes more money or they decided to go back to school,” Walters said.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in the United States is 3.7% as of January 2024. The BLS reported a higher unemployment rate of 4.3% for Michigan as of December 2023. The unemployment rate for Hillsdale County is slightly lower at 4.1% as of December 2023, according to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget.

Checker Records owner John Spiteri has noticed shifts in customer behavior and the availability of his staff post-pandemic. 

“The service industry workforce has been hit really hard with people coming and going ever since the pandemic,” Spiteri said. “If you look around, a lot of restaurants are all in the same position where they’re always looking for help.”

For Spiteri, hiring new employees is time consuming given the training required for a barista at his establishment. 

“It takes a while to teach somebody how to make coffee because there’s so many variations,” Spiteri said. “Coffee can be 10 different things to 10 different people, so you have to invest in your baristas for a while and you hope that you’ll get your return back from it.”

Another local business grappling with the pandemic’s aftermath is the Finish Line Family Restaurant, owned by Lisa Slade. 

“COVID-19 closures and the subsequent labor shortage have hit us hard,” Slade said.

Slade said these problems have made it difficult to find staff.

“We’ve been looking for a cook for a while, probably a year and a half now,” Slade said. “After COVID, it was really hard to get people to apply.” 

Slade also said rising food costs are affecting her staffing capabilities and customer dining habits.

“I think that inflation and the price of food — not just what restaurants charge but the price of food in general — has affected how much customers go out to eat,” she said.

Slade said she remains committed to her staff and customers.

“Whenever I have somebody that I cherish, I try to treat them as best I can,” she said, noting that fair pay and good treatment have helped retain her long-term employees. 

Having dedicated nearly five decades to the Finish Line, Slade said she finds great fulfillment in the relationships she has built.

“It’s very rewarding,” Slade said. “I love hearing how they love coming back. It’s like we are a part of their life.”