In Livonia, there’s been a bone of contention over the building of a new Meijer grocery store and 102 rental apartments on an ex-Kmart site. Last week, however, it got the green light to proceed despite a handful of concerns raised by locals and Livonia city council members. There’s been a lot of buzz about the city not needing another chain grocery store
Even though the Meijer plan gained approval, a number of Livonia city council members couldn’t hold back their feelings of discontent. Too many grocery stores already exist, some of them shared. This isn’t a new argument for the Meijer chain, as it has faced some strong resistance from several Metro Detroit communities about building new stores.
Last year, the tussle proved to be so intense in Plymouth Township that Meijer and developer Redico LLC took to legal action for a permission proposal after the planning commission had knocked it down. There were also similar scenes in Farmington Hills, after proposed renovations to an old strip mall, which included a new Meijer store, triggered complaints. This was because it would have meant getting rid of great American past time for many: Marvelous Marvin’s Mechanical Museum.
The recurring theme through all these community protests is this sense of weariness over an apparent oversupply of grocery shops and big box retailers, sparking debates magic over concerns from traffic increase to crime spike.
While most people love the convenience, niche markets, and selections provided by big dogs like Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, Kroger, Holiday and Hollywood markets, there’s been a growing sentiment about the need for yet another food retailer.
Contrary to this sentiment, however, Meijer argues that these challenges are part and parcel of the norm and getting nods for new stores in Metro Detroit hasn’t become tougher. It just so happens that each of these three locations is quite different and the challenges posed might not come about again anytime soon, and particularly in such a short period.
Opposing voices to a proposed store don’t always make the loudest noises. When they do emerge though, we notice a common trend, the company shared, where a relatively quick and vocal minority oppose the idea of any new construction right at the outset. When this happens, all the other convenience-focused retailers who plan to expand or enter the market also feel the grumble.
Rumoured to be a $60 million plan, the proposal of building a 75,000-square-foot Meijer and 102 apartments within an old Kmart site was finally accepted by the seven-member Livonia city Council. Some members of the council emphasized that turning down such a massive investment wasn’t feasible, as the spot has lain vacant since the previous occupant, Kmart store, shut its doors back in 2017. My job, one of the council members explained, is to follow the law and make sure we get the very best possible plan out of the proposed development.
Many continue to remain concerned about the traffic implications of yet another newcomer especially city resident, Andrew Mytys, who at a planning commission meeting earlier in the year pointed out that traffic is already pretty bad.
In the case of Farmington Hills, the idea of shrugging off Marvin’s to make room for a Meijer wasn’t smooth sailing either. A petition on change.org managed over 20,000 signatures pleading Farmington Hills officials to stand their grounds and save Marvelous Marvin’s. After incorporating the council members’ feedback and making relevant changes to its plan, the new development including Meijer finally got the go-ahead in February.
As for Plymouth Township, the Meijer and Redico plan stirred so much commotion that one of the council members running for township supervisor faced criticism for approving developments like Meijer. This led to alleged changes to the township’s character and losing out in the primaries. Nevertheless, plans for the new 159,000-square-foot store were still catapulted forward.
In response to all the resistance, Meijer had one final thing to say: After the store is live, you’d be surprised to see that some of the most vocal critics are the first through the doors. Not just that, they turn out to be some of our most loyal customers too. Happy to serve them, always!
