Michigan's Meijer Makes List of Top 100 Retailers

According to Stores Magazine, discount and food stores make up the bulk of its Top 100 Retailers list in 2009. So, what is the only Michigan retailer who made the list? Meijer (fka Meijer Thrifty Acres) of Grand Rapids is 29th on the list and is Michigan founded and grown.

According to FundingUniverse.com, Meijer started out as a grocery store in Greenville, Michigan in 1934. The food store was created by Hendrik Meijer, who also innovated the shopping basket (literally a wicker basket) for customer self service. His chain of food stores continued to grow; and, in 1962, Meijer opened its first Meijer Thrifty Acres discount department store -- a concept that predated K-mart and Walmart's attempts to combine food with other retail departments. Another innovation for the chain came in 1988, when a number of the Meijer locations went 24 hours.