Meijer expands its small-size store format

Meijer has opened Rivertown Market in downtown Detroit.

The 42,000-sq.-ft. store is the fourth location of Meijer’s neighborhood market format and its first in the heart of the city.

The new location features fresh and prepared foods, including bakery items, fresh meat offerings; Meijer and national brand products; and an estimated 2,000 local, artisan items. It also boasts a Great Lakes Coffee specializing in nitro brews and low/medium roasts, an extensive beer, wine and liquor counter, and a 4,700-sq.-ft. produce department. 

“Rivertown Market is focused on bringing customers a mix of fresh, local and convenient food at low prices,” said store manager Marcus Reliford said. “This market is a passion project for me as I grew up near the market and look forward to providing our customers a first-class shopping experience that will keep them coming back for more.”

Rivertown Market features open-air elements, with a 23-ft. ceiling, and three garage-style doors that open to an outdoor fresh produce and floral area in warmer months. Additionally, local artists Desiree Kelly and Cameron Jenkins painted murals in the front and back of the store respectively. Jenkins’ mural features vibrantly colored paintings of fresh produce while Kelly’s mural is a beautiful and fun portrait of her daughter, Isabella.

Meijer opened its first neighborhood market store in 2018, in Grand Rapids, Mich., which was followed by a location in Royal Oak, Mich. in January 2020. Its third neighborhood market, Capitol City Market opened in October 2020, in downtown Lansing, Mich.

“The community has really embraced our small-format stores because they offer a new way to bring an extensive variety of fresh and locally-sourced groceries to our customers,” said Justin Stricklen, director of market format stores for Meijer, which operates 257 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. “We are excited to build on that momentum with Rivertown Market and work with community partners to continue to enhance downtown Detroit.”