Meijer keeps shaking up retail market in Wisconsin

After 20 years of focusing on just five states in the Midwest, Meijer is continuing an estimated $750 million investment in its sixth state -- Wisconsin -- with the opening of two more stores in Wauwatosa and Oak Creek.

"Since opening our first two stores in the state six weeks ago, local residents and new customers have welcomed us with open arms and responded positively to the new shopping option we offer in Wisconsin," Co-Chairman Hank Meijer said. "We are thrilled to be opening our Wauwatosa and Oak Creek supercenters, giving us the opportunity to provide a quality one-stop shopping experience to more communities around Milwaukee."

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company now operates 222 stores in six states and plans to open two to three new Wisconsin supercenters per year through 2019.

In addition to the retailer's traditional grocery and merchandise offerings, the new pharmacies feature drive-thru pick up and will offer the company's free prescription program, as well as clinical services and immunizations. The 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, more than 27 million free prescriptions have been filled, saving Meijer customers more than $390 million.

"Our teams have worked very hard to prepare and we're excited to bring our stores to Wauwatosa and Oak Creek," Meijer President J.K. Symancyk said. "We do our best to find locations that will best serve communities and are looking forward to building on the excitement of our first four stores in Wisconsin in the years to come."