Meijer is ready to 'enrich lives' in the Alliance area, store manager says

Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository
Meijer, the Michigan-based supercenter company, will open its new Alliance location on May 14.
Meijer, the Michigan-based supercenter company, will open its new Alliance location on May 14.

ALLIANCE ‒ Meijer is planning to have a gas station after all at its new Alliance location.

Store manager Patrick Hughes said the supercenter chain expects to add a Meijer Express in the future but there is no deadline for it.

It had been widely believed the new store — which opens May 14 — would not have a gas station. That was not true.

Speaking at Wednesday's Kiwanis Club of Alliance luncheon, Hughes said the Michigan-based company has reserved a "grassy area" on the property at 2500 W. State St. for the future station. The area is behind McDonald's, adjacent to Sarchione Ford of Alliance.

"The gas station is coming," he told club members.

Patrick Hughes, manager of the Alliance Meijer store, said this grassy area will be the future home of a Meijer Express gas station.
Patrick Hughes, manager of the Alliance Meijer store, said this grassy area will be the future home of a Meijer Express gas station.

Hughes: No two Meijer stores are exactly the same, but all of them strive to satisfy customers

Meijer also is opening a new supercenter in North Canton on May 14 — the same day, as Alliance. A gas station adjacent to the North Canton location opened April 18. The two new locations increase the chain's store count to 55 in Ohio, and three in Stark County.

There also is a store in Jackson Township.

All Meijer stores have plenty of similarities, but Hughes said, none of them are exactly the same. He said stores will adjust their inventory, adding or subtracting products, to meet the demands of their market area.

Patrick Hughes, a Boardman native, is the store manager for the new Alliance Meijer location. He spoke at the Kiwanis Club of Alliance luncheon Thursday at the Alliance YWCA.
Patrick Hughes, a Boardman native, is the store manager for the new Alliance Meijer location. He spoke at the Kiwanis Club of Alliance luncheon Thursday at the Alliance YWCA.

"You will see some differences" between each location, Hughes said.

However, Hughes said customers should expect a "fresh and clean" environment, with no cluttered aisles, at all locations.

He said the Alliance store, with 350 employees, will have 10 manned checkouts and 16 self-checkouts available for customers. The company also has a policy that requires them to open a checkout if any line exceeds three customers, Hughes told the club.

Meijer already active in the Alliance community

Hughes said the company is an active member of every community it serves, helping organizations and food pantries, to "enrich lives."

For example, Meijer is setting up its signature program, Simply Give, to help the Alliance Community Pantry. The campaign encourages customers to buy $10 donation cards, with Meijer matching the amount, and it turns into a food-only gift card for the pantry to use at Meijer.

"It'll be a really big help," said Mike Patterson, a pantry board member.

Hughes also said the store is planning to donate $12,000 to Clothed in Righteousness, a homeless ministry in Alliance, and $12,000 to Legacy of Honor, a veterans service center in the Louisville area, later this month.

"We seem like a big company, but we're a family company," Hughes said.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Meijer ready for customers at new Alliance, North Canton stores

Advertisement