Store Director Kelli Quintana presented Davis Middle School Principal Marsha Webster with a $10,000 check from Meijer to help develop the school’s science department. Jillian Parks | Collegian
Meijer will open its new store in Hillsdale on May 14, offering everything from sushi and ready-to-go hot food to fresh flowers and live aquarium fish in a 159,000-square-foot space.
From May 14 to May 26, the store will host opening week celebration events, featuring food trucks, festivals, and giveaways.
“I have a very hardworking team that is proud of what we do,” Store Director Kelli Quintana said. “They’re proud to open those doors and have their friends and their family see what they were able to bring to Meijer.”
With 16 aisles of grocery, a pharmacy equipped for drive-thru prescription pickup and vaccinations, a bakery, a deli, and a large selection of general merchandise, Meijer offers everything customers need, according to Quintana.
“We created the one-stop shop,” Quintana said. “You can come in and get fresh, local fruits and vegetables. We have over 600 varieties in the produce department, and that’s what we’re kind of known for.”
The store will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight. Some employees will restock when the store is closed.
Quintana said the Grand Rapids-based retailer is focused on freshness and is committed to keeping shelves stocked consistently. After the grand opening rush slows down, the store can expect roughly eight trucks to arrive daily with fresh dairy, produce, grocery, and general merchandise.
“Basically your entire first year, you’re just working out the kinks,” Store HR Representative Grant More said. “With scheduling how much of what products you need, you don’t know if certain products you offer are going to be in a higher or lower demand given the local, very unique market you’re dealing with. I’m sure Hillsdale is more or less interested in some things compared to Coldwater, Jackson, etc.”
The store will also feature an aisle end cap that currently has “Michigan Favorites” from Michigan-based companies. Eventually, Quintana said, the end cap will feature products from local Hillsdale-owned businesses.
According to Quintana, the store hired a large number of Hillsdale county residents, and a number of them moved to the area to work for the store. Meijer also donates up to 6 percent of its profits to the local community.
“It’s fun for me to go to a different community and be a part of that,” Hillsdale Meijer Line Leader Ashley Moor said. “Everyone’s been so warm and welcoming, showing me around, inviting me to their kids’ events, and things like that.”
During a press event on May 7, Quintana presented Davis Middle School Principal Marsha Webster with a $10,000 check from Meijer to help with the development of its science department.
“This will really increase engagement for our students,” Webster said. “This gift means we can dream. These kinds of gifts don’t come often, and we can’t tell you how much we appreciate it.”
Meijer operates more than 240 supercenters in six states, according to its website.
