Meijer Superstore Coming to Effingham

A Meijer superstore is coming to Effingham.

A 192,000 square foot store will be built along Ford Avenue on the city's north side next to Kohl's. No timetable is being given as to when the store will open.

Meijer is a regional company with its headquarters in Walker, Michigan, in the Grand Rapids metro area. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with establishing the supercenter concept in 1962. Half of the company's stores are in Michigan's lower peninsula, with others in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Kentucky.

Meijer Director of Real Estate Mike Flickinger was in Effingham to speak at Tuesday's City Council meeting about the project. Flickinger said a Meijer store typically employs about 250 people, with anywhere from 30% to 70% of those employees working fulltime. He also noted the company annually contributes 6% of its profits to charitable organizations in its service area.

As to when we'll see the store in operation, construction is to be underway by 2019 with completion by 2020, although Todd Kabbes of Kabbes Development said at the City Council meeting earlier this month that he expects to see work underway sooner than that.

Effingham Mayor Jeff Bloemker termed Meijer "a high profile brand" and said "we look forward to having you in Effingham."

The Council also amended its development agreement with Kabbes Properties to allow the project to proceed.