Meijer to Open 4th Small-Format Store in Michigan

Meijer's Rivertown Market will open Oct. 6 in Detroit’s East Jefferson Corridor.

Meijer continues to go small in Michigan with its Rivertown Market, the new neighborhood grocery store slated to open Oct. 6 in Detroit’s East Jefferson Corridor. The 42,000-square-foot market is significantly smaller than the retailer’s three 155,000-square-foot supercenters that it opted to open in Ohio and Indiana earlier this year.

One of the few grocery stores located in downtown Detroit, Rivertown Market will focus on providing residents and businesses alike with a mix of local, fresh food and easily accessible convenience items in a market-like setting.

The East Jefferson Corridor location marks the retailer’s second small-format store in metro Detroit. It’s Meijer's fourth smaller store in Michigan, following the openings of Bridge Street Market in August 2018, Woodward Corner Market in January 2020 and Capital City Market in October 2020.

The new 42,000-square-foot stand-alone market in Detroit will offer a vast assortment of fresh and prepared foods, including bakery items, fresh meat and deli offerings, Meijer and national-brand products, and an estimated 2,000 local, artisan items such as Pizzaman Pizza, Bon Bon Bon, MexiBake Bakery, Crystal Eikcaj Skincare and Crown of a Woman. It will boast a Great Lakes Coffee location that specializes in nitro brews and low/medium roasts, and an extensive beer, wine and liquor counter.

Rivertown Market will feature 23-foot ceilings with open-air elements, a design inspired by local culture in the city’s East Jefferson Corridor, 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 a mural of vibrantly colored produce on the side of the market near its parking lot entrance (see slideshow below).

Rivertown Market will also feature:

A flower shop, offering local Avanti Greeting Cards.
A 4,700-square-foot produce department complete with a 52-foot wet wall.
An expansive alcohol assortment, featuring a 24-foot-by-14-foot liquor wall with a rolling ladder.
Basic cleaning items and health and beauty care products from local black women-owned businesses.

“I grew up in this town, and am very proud to be back with a great team in place to ensure Rivertown Market provides a unique shopping experience to customers in the city of Detroit,” said Store Manager Marcus Reliford, who joined Meijer in September 2020 with 15 years of retail experience. “We are excited to open our doors, be a good neighbor and work every day to have the best products on our shelves.”

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer operates 257 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin. The company is No. 18 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.