GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Traditional supermarket formats continue to evolve, giving life to smaller formats that evoke feelings of personalization and intimacy. Retailers are constantly chasing after what consumers want—and Meijer is no stranger to this dance. After announcing plans for its fourth small-format store, the retailer also upped its small-format strategy by playing into the local aspect that shoppers have come to love—and expect.

“Our small format stores have always had the autonomy to stock the local products that fit their communities’ needs,” said Justin Stricklen, Director of Market Format Stores. “This is the first time we’ve put out a call for those vendors to raise their hands and showcase their offerings. We believe there is a lot of potential out there, and we’re excited to begin building those lasting partnerships to benefit our customers.”

The new store, which is set to open later this year and will stand at 42,000 square feet, is searching for items that Meijer calls “hyperlocal” in a press release. Store Manager Marcus Reliford has a goal of stocking 2,000 local products.

“We want to help local businesses succeed,” said Reliford, a Detroit native who joined Meijer in September 2020 to lead its first Detroit small-format store, which will be located in the city’s East Jefferson Corridor. “We want to showcase all Detroit has to offer and believe Rivertown Market is the place to do it.”

Similar to the retailer’s three other small format stores—Bridge Street Market in Grand Rapids, Woodward Corner Market in Royal Oak, and Capital City Market in Lansing—Rivertown Market will focus on offering customers a unique shopping experience and feature a vast assortment of fresh food and artisan groceries.

This store will continue to leverage Meijer’s ongoing partnership with RangeMe, an ECRM company and online product sourcing platform, to manage all Rivertown Market’s product submissions by qualifying and connecting suppliers with the appropriate buyers.

Meijer also made headlines over the weekend when President Biden sparked a brief Twitter war over the pronunciation of the retailer's name. According to The Hill, pluralizing the name is technically a mispronunciation, but for those in Michigan, it’s a common usage that speaks of solidarity.

Whichever way your pronunciation ruling comes down, you can’t deny that Meijer is making moves in the retail sector.

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