Meijer opens 2 new supercenters in Indiana, Kentucky

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Meijer opened new 192,000-square-foot supercenters Thursday in Evansville, Ind. and Owensboro, Ky.

 

"Investing in Evansville and Owensboro was an easy decision for us," CEO Hank Meijer said. "We're excited to serve new friends and neighbors. We're looking forward to working with both communities and growing alongside the families of the tri-state area."

 

The new stores are the first of nine new Meijer supercenters to open – and part of an investment of more than $400 million in new and remodeled stores – this year. 

 

With more than 40 stores located throughout Indiana and Kentucky, the new stores are built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards and will be open 24 hours a day. 

 

Opening celebrations began with a ribbon-cutting event at each store, followed by remarks from Meijer leadership and local officials. 

 

The stores also demonstrated their commitment to the community by making donations to local organizations. Store Director Kelly Agler presented $25,000 to the Goodfellows Club of Owensboro to provide funding for local children in need. Evansville Store Director Gordon Venema presented $25,000 to the Tri-State Food Bank, an organization dedicated to the fight against hunger that helps provide more than 8 million pounds of food each year in 33 counties in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

 

As part of its ongoing community support, Meijer donates more than 6% of its net profit to charitable organizations annually, and each of its stores works with local food pantries and banks to help fight hunger at the local level. Since 2008, the retailer's Simply Give program has generated more than $21 million for its food pantry partners throughout the Midwest.

 

In addition to the retailer's traditional grocery and merchandise, garden center and 24-hour gas stations, the new Evansville and Owensboro Meijer pharmacies will offer drive-thru pick up and the company's free prescription program. The prescription program includes leading oral generic antibiotics with a special focus on prescriptions most often filled for children, prenatal vitamins and medications for those with diabetes and high cholesterol. 

 

Since its inception in 2006, the Meijer free prescription program has filled nearly 33 million free prescriptions, saving Meijer customers nearly $454 million.