Frederik Meijer

Meijer was born in Greenville, Michigan,[1] the son of Gezina Mantel and Hendrik Meijer, Dutch immigrants who had married in Greenville in 1912.[2] In 1934, at age 14, he worked with his father Hendrik to found Meijer's North Side Grocery in Greenville.[1]

In 1962, he launched Meijer Thrifty Acres with his father and pioneered one-stop shopping.[1] He inherited the company after the death of his father in 1964.[1] In 1990, he handed over the company to his sons, Doug and Hank, although he remained the chairman of the board until his death.[1]

As of September 2011, he was worth US$5 billion.[1] He was the 60th richest person in the United States at the time of his death.[1][3]

In 1946, he married Lena Rader (1919–2022), the daughter of farmers, who had been a cashier in one of his stores.[2] They had three sons, Doug, Hank and Mark Meijer.[4] His grandson Peter was the U.S. representative for Michigan's 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023.[5] Meijer died on November 25, 2011, at the Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after suffering a stroke in his Grand Rapids home.[6] His wife Lena died at 102 years old on January 15, 2022.[7]

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids Charter Township, Michigan

Meijer helped establish the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.[8] An Honors College at Grand Valley State University is named for him.[9] A Chair in Dutch culture at Calvin College is also named for him.[10] The Frederik Meijer Trail in Kent County, Michigan, and the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park are named after him following donations by the Frederik and Lena Meijer Foundation.[11][12]

• Meijer, Fred (1998). Just Call Me Fred: 101 Thoughts on People, Business and Life in General. Grand Rapids: Meijer. OCLC 40640126.
• ten Harmsel, Larry; Smith, Bill (2009). Fred Meijer: Stories of His Life. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8028-6460-4. OCLC 262878972.