More Information on Proposed Milwaukee Area Meijer Stores
Proposed Franklin Meijer store (click for a larger image)
As we posted about last week, Meijer is planning a major expansion into the Milwaukee area. Meijer operates nearly 200 large supercenters throughout the midwest. Currently there are no Meijer stores in Wisconsin, however that could soon change.
Meijer stores offer grocery and department store goods, and oftentimes feature a detached Meijer operated gas station. The typical makeup of a Meijer store is approximately 60% groceries and 40% other products. As a point of comparison, a Walmart Supercenter typically is 40% groceries and 60% other products.
Franklin Meijer
Earlier this week, representatives from Meijer presented their plans for a 192,000 square foot store to Franklin officials. Although some Franklin Alderman expressed concerns about the architecture, landscaping, and proposed business hours, Meijer was encouraged to proceed with their plans. If all necessary approvals are received, the Franklin Meijer could open as early as 2014.
Grafton Meijer
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that a Meijer could be built in Grafton on Port Washington Road. Plans for a Grafton Meijer don’t seem to be as far along as the Franklin location, with no formal proposal having being presented to Grafton officials as of yet.
Meijer Distribution Center
We have also learned that Meijer is considering building a distribution center in the Racine or Kenosha area. According to the Business Journal, Meijer is seeking a 100 acre site to construct a 1 million square foot distribution center. The article states that Meijer currently has four distribution centers that service their nearly 200 stores. If all of the distribution centers serve roughly the same number of stores, it could mean that upwards of 50 stores could be served from the new distribution center!
All of this is great news for consumers in southeastern Wisconsin. More grocery stores mean more competition. Not only do prices react favorably to competition, but service does too.
Are you excited about the prospects of a new grocery option in southeastern Wisconsin? Please leave a comment and let us know what you think!
Better Business Bureau ShredFest on Saturday, April 21
The Better Business Bureau serving Wisconsin is sponsoring ShredFest on Saturday, April 21 at AnchorBank in Brookfield. Bring up to three boxes of items to be shredded for free AnchorBank is located at 18200 West Capitol Drive. Hours are from 8:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Shredding documents helps minimize the chance of identity theft. The Better Business Bureau reports that 8.3 million Americans were the victims of identity theft in 2011.
The BBB website contains suggestions on how long the following records should be retained before shredding them:
- Canceled checks
- Deposit, ATM, credit card and debit card receipts
- Credit card and bank account statements
- Credit card contracts and other loan agreements
- Documentation of a purchase or sale of stocks, bonds and other investments
- Paycheck Stubs
- Utility or monthly bills
The BBB also advises that consumers shred the following items instead of simply throwing them away:
- Documents that include Social Security numbers, birth dates, PIN numbers or passwords
- Banking documents and other financial information
- Leases, contracts or letters that include signatures
- Pre-approved credit card applications
- Medical or dental bills
- Travel itineraries
- Used airline tickets
There are also ShredFest events in Madison and Appleton. Visit the BBB Shredfest webpage to receive more advice on protecting yourself from identity thieves.
Quality Candy Buddy Squirrel 2012 Easter Open House on Sunday
The annual Quality Candy Buddy Squirrel Easter Open House takes place on Sunday, March 25. As a part of the event, they will be giving away samples of their products, including their famous whipped creme eggs. If you have never tried one of these eggs, it is almost worth attending just to have one! The Easter Open House takes place between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and admission is free.
Scheduled activities include:
- Visits with the Easter Bunny and Mrs. Easter Bunny
- Opportunities to meet Buddy Squirrel himself (!)
- See how the Quality Candy whipped creme eggs are made
- Free samples of caramel corn & the whipped creme eggs
The event takes place at the Quality Candy Buddy Squirrel headquarters, located at 1801 E. Bolivar Avenue in St. Francis. See the Quality Candy Buddy Squirrel website for more information, including a map.
Realtors Home & Garden Show Ticket Winners
Thank you to everyone who entered our giveaway for free tickets to the 2012 Realtors Home & Garden Show. The show starts today and runs through April 1.
Congratulations to the following readers who were randomly selected to win tickets:
- Jennifer H.
- Jason M.
- Scott A.
- Lesley F.
- Kim Z.
Our winners have been notified and will be sent their tickets for the show. If you didn’t win, there are still ways to get discounted admission to the Realtors Home & Garden Show.
Thank you to the Realtors Home & Garden Show for providing the passes for this giveaway!
Great Milwaukee Family Getaway Contest from VISIT Milwaukee
Sweepstakes are something we usually don’t post about, however this one is too good not to share! VISIT Milwaukee, (the official convention and visitors bureau for the City of Milwaukee) is running the Great Family Getaway contest with an incredible prize package. Even if you already live in southeastern Wisconsin, this would make for a great staycation this spring or summer.
The prize package includes:
- A 3-night stay at the Hilton Milwaukee including passes to the Paradise Landing indoor water park
- Free admission to the Milwaukee County Zoo, the Harley-Davidson Museum, Discovery World, Mitchell Park Domes, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum
- Free meals at Motor Bar and Restaurant, SPiN Milwaukee, Cafe Benelux, Palermo’s Pizza Factory, Milwaukee Public Market and Joey Buona’s Restaurant
The prize package is valued at over $1,300!
To enter the sweepstakes, go to the VISIT Milwaukee website. Entries are accepted through March 30, 2012 and the winner will have one year to redeem their prizes. If you share the contest with friends and family members, each one of you will get an extra entry if you indicate your friend’s name when filling out the entry form.
