Frederik GH Meijer

Thrifty grocer grows richer as customers turn to his discount stores while grocery and gas prices rise. Father, Hendrik, emigrated from the Netherlands 1907, became barber. Opened Meijer Grocery 1934 with son Frederick. Duo launched Meijer Thrifty Acres in 1962; offered one-stop shopping. Frederick took over after father's death 1964. Today there are 181 Meijer stores in 5 states. Mr. Meijer began working at an early age in the grocery business and grew his father’s store into a leading supercenter. Now located in five states throughout the Midwest, the chain has nearly 200 stores and almost 60,000 employees. Meijer is ranked as the 18th largest privately held company in the country. Along with that growth, the Meijers developed a love for philanthropy that is evident in West Michigan.The breadth of his generosity donations covers four major areas: trails, culture, education and health care. He is survived by his wife, Lena, and sons Hank, Doug and Mark.