A major redevelopment of a Clinton Township shopping center on Gratiot is moving forward with a Meijer store as a notable addition.
Clinton Township officials, in a Tuesday, June 3, news release, said the Regional Shopping Center property at Gratiot and 15 Mile Road was acquired by Breakpoint Investments and will undergo “renewed activity.”
Where the new Meijer store will be located
At the center of the property is the addition of a 76,000-square-foot Meijer Fresh store where a vacant Big Lots store stands.
Paul Gieleghem, Clinton Township supervisor, called the acquisition and redevelopment an “important moment” for the Gratiot corridor.
“The completion of this sale moves us from planning to action,” Gieleghem said in a news release. “We are excited to see progress begin on a project that has the potential to bring new investment, create jobs, and further strengthen our community.”
“We’re excited about the potential of adding a Meijer Grocery store in Clinton Township,” a Meijer spokesperson said in an email to the Detroit Free Press. “We are always looking for new ways to serve the greater Detroit area, and this location would add a convenient option for Clinton Township customers.”
No other details about the development or timing of the Clinton Township store on Gratiot were shared.
It was last October when Clinton Township officials announced that a Meijer grocery store was proposed for the Regional Shopping Center property. Those plans, according to the October news release, included renderings of the proposed store and a Meijer gas station. Gieleghem said an outlet area where a Teppanyaki Grill & Buffet restaurant, which has been vacant for 10 years and in disrepair, will be demolished, and likely be the space for the Meijer gas station.
Gieleghem told the Detroit Free Press the Meijer store is huge and significant for Clinton Township.
“We’ve been trying to get a grocery store for the south end of Clinton Township for a decade,” Gieleghem said.
With a population of about 100,000, Gieleghem said Clinton Township is the seventh-largest municipality in Michigan.
“We are largely a bedroom community suburb,” he said, and “25% of the houses in our community live within a mile of Gratiot.”
Why the redevelopment matters to Clinton Township
Gieleghem said this shopping center, which also has a Lowe’s, AMC Theater, Five Guys and Starbucks on the property, has been struggling for many years.
“We think Meijer will be a strong catalyst for much more development coming in,” he said.
Ars Atisha and Ryan Shina are principals of Breakpoint Investments, the news release said, and are planning to move the project forward quickly.
“We are excited to contribute to the redevelopment of this area of Clinton Township and help drive its continued growth and investment,” Atisha said. “This project represents an opportunity to transform this vacant property into something that benefits residents, businesses, and the entire community.”
What’s next for the Big Lots site and Meijer plan
One of the first steps in developing the property is demolishing the vacant Big Lots store to make way for the construction of the Meijer store. At 76,000 square feet, this size Meijer store is smaller than the Grand Rapids retailer’s supercenter stores, though smaller than its neighborhood market stores, which number five in the state, including three in metro Detroit.
Overall, Meijer operates nearly 300 stores across six Midwest states. These Meijer grocery stores, which are smaller than its supercenter stores, are full grocery stores offering typical departments such as produce, meats, bakery, and a full-service deli, and some of the departments offered by its supercenter stores.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: New Meijer grocery store coming to vacant Big Lots in Clinton Township
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
