There’s No “S” in Meijer, or Was There and a Thrifty Acres?

Many people pronounce Meijer but add an "S" when they say it but why?

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Meijer

Meijer has come a long way since it got its start in 1934 in Greenville, Michigan. A local barber by the name of Hendrik Meijer bought some merchandise to sell in his shop which eventually turned into Meijer's Grocery.

Like many businesses that have been around for a long time, there are logo changes and even variations of the company's name. Depending on how old you are when you first come in contact with that company, maybe how you remember the name or the logo.

Why Do Some People Say Meijer's But There's No "S"?

Before there was a Meijer, the early stores were called Meijer's Super Market. Many older people who shopped at those earlier stores just kept calling it Meijer's.

I'm too young to remember Meijer's Super Market but when I was growing up I do remember Meijer Thrifty Acres. Before they added the Thrifty Acres the store was called Meijer's Thrift Super Market.

As you can see in these old photos, the "S" was part of the brand for a very long time. It wasn't until 1962 that Meijer dropped the "S" and added Thrifty Acres because the stores had grown into supercenters where you could get everything in one trip like we do today. In 1986, the company just used the Meijer version that we see today. So if you hear someone older say Meijer's, there are a few good reasons for that.

Check out this old throwback Meijer Thrifty Acres TV Commercial:

Some material used for this article came from the Meijer corporation website.