Five Years Later and Michigan Meijer Shoppers Are Still Waiting for This to Return

It’s been five years since the world shut down, and while most of life has returned to normal, one thing in Michigan still hasn’t: 24 hour Meijer locations

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Meijer was always there when you needed them. Whether it was 1 in the morning and you forgot to grab milk, or you worked odd hours and needed groceries after a late shift. (Or if you’re like me, sometimes you just want a snack at a weird hour.)

Get nostalgic: See the first Meijer store and some of the merch that came along ⬇️

That’s until 2020 when the company adjusted its hours to opening from 6a-Midnight in most places, cutting back to allow for extra cleaning and to deal with staffing shortages.

For most 9-to-5 workers, this change probably hasn’t made much of a difference for you. But here in West Michigan, we have a huge population of shift workers including nurses, factory employees, restaurant/bar staff, and delivery drivers, all who depend being able to do a little late-night shopping.

And for people like me, who work early mornings, those always-open Meijer stores were a lifesaver. I could stop in before my shift and grab what I needed instead of being stuck waiting until later in the day when I’d rather just go home and rest. (You know how much it sucks to realize you are out of coffee at 4:30a and only to realize: no one is open to help you out)

Meijer has always been a Michigan staple, known for their convenience and reliability. But the lack of 24-hour locations makes life harder for thousands of people in our community. Five years is a long time to wait. It’s time to bring back the 24-hour Meijer stores. (Pretty please.)