Alpine Meijer To Get New Face

[tamias6]

I wonder how long they plan to spend doing this. If they're in such a hurry, maybe they plan on finishing on thanksgiving? although that would seem REALLY fast

The remodeling will be done sometime in spring of next year. I'm assuming the construction of the addition will take up the bulk of the time plus the store remaining open during construction will slow things down a bit since only one section of it at a time can be worked on without causing too much disturbances to shoppers. Still, in all, from now 'till spring is an amazingly short time to completly renovate and add on to an outdated 200,000 + sq ft building that has to remain open and in full operation during construction.

[Allison Slater]

I'd imagine their plans are to be working on Grocery sections around Black Friday and later, or perhaps simply building the addition. I can't imagine them working on something else, especially the electronics area during this upcoming season.

[Veloise]

The remodeling will be done sometime in spring of next year. I'm assuming the construction of the addition will take up the bulk of the time plus the store remaining open during construction will slow things down a bit since only one section of it at a time can be worked on without causing too much disturbances to shoppers. Still, in all, from now 'till spring is an amazingly short time to completly renovate and add on to an outdated 200,000 + sq ft building that has to remain open and in full operation during construction.

[tamias6]

The Alpine Store is badly arranged as it is. So I can't wait to see this thread light up like Times Square with rantings and whinning when "The Addition is Merched out, and utter cheos ensues" stage of the remodel happens.

The addition is merched out, and utter chaos ensues as most departments get relocated. This can get creative. Ya like the logical arrangement of 28th & K'zoo, with shoes nest to the deli, etc.? It can be worse, with tight aisles of high shelving down each center aisle, and items from each department placed there in a seemingly random way.

[Veloise]

The Alpine Store is badly arranged as it is. So I can't wait to see this thread light up like Times Square with rantings and whinning when "The Addition is Merched out, and utter cheos ensues" stage of the remodel happens.

[beergeek]

I suspect most Planeteers don't shop the Alpine store.

[tamias6]

I used to do most of my shopping at the Alpine Meijer until the Slandale Mejier on Lake Michigan and Wilson was opened. The Standale store is less than a half mile away from my home which makes it very convienent and esp. good on conserving gas. However the Standale store can be slow to restock certain items. So the Alpine Meijer along with the Rivertown Crossing store makes for a good back up. But if the Alpine Store's renovation turns out good, it may see more of me again, since other shopping venues I like are located on Alpine as well.

As far as customer service at the Alpine Meijer, I found that the employees were nice and helpful. The same can be said of the Standale store although the cashiers there tend to be a bit slow. I been to the Knapp Corner Meijer a few times. (That place is huge.) I've never really had any problems with employees there. But they do seem to act stressed out. I figure the Knapp store sees alot more customers filing though its doors then many other Meijer stores which could explain the stress factor.

[Beavis]

I live in Heritage Hill but still do my grocery shopping at the Alpine Meijer. I just can't seem to warm up to the Family Fare (used to be D&W) on east Fulton. I've also tried Cascade Meijer by my work but the layout is odd to me - I end up backtracking to find stuff - drives me nuts. I lived on the westside for years and know exactly where everything is at the Alpine Meijer so it makes my trips very quick and easy. I'm very glad Alpine is getting a much needed facelift. I was afraid it would close after the new store in Standale went in. You can shoot a cannon through Alpine half the time. I just hope I'll still be able to find stuff.

[NorthCoast]

I live in Heritage Hill but still do my grocery shopping at the Alpine Meijer. I just can't seem to warm up to the Family Fare (used to be D&W) on east Fulton. I've also tried Cascade Meijer by my work but the layout is odd to me - I end up backtracking to find stuff - drives me nuts. I lived on the westside for years and know exactly where everything is at the Alpine Meijer so it makes my trips very quick and easy. I'm very glad Alpine is getting a much needed facelift. I was afraid it would close after the new store in Standale went in. You can shoot a cannon through Alpine half the time. I just hope I'll still be able to find stuff.

[tamias6]

I live in Heritage Hill but still do my grocery shopping at the Alpine Meijer. I just can't seem to warm up to the Family Fare (used to be D&W) on east Fulton. I've also tried Cascade Meijer by my work but the layout is odd to me - I end up backtracking to find stuff - drives me nuts. I lived on the westside for years and know exactly where everything is at the Alpine Meijer so it makes my trips very quick and easy. I'm very glad Alpine is getting a much needed facelift. I was afraid it would close after the new store in Standale went in. You can shoot a cannon through Alpine half the time. I just hope I'll still be able to find stuff.

[Beavis]

Not sure how close you are to it but might I suggest the Gaslight Village D&W. It is a quaint but modern store located in a great part of town.

[NorthCoast]

I do drive by there quite often on my way home from work due to construction everywhere else. Always assumed it would be too pricey but it's been awhile, and I'm only shopping for one + miss kitty. I'll check it out.

As an aside, I'm really impressed with all the development in EGR - not only the development itself but lately I've noticed a great deal more people down there enjoying the scene. I've made regular bike rides from Heritage Hill through Eastown to Reeds Lake a regular part of my exercise routine for a few years now.

[tamias6]

Update:

The renovation has begun.

The entire section of parking lot on the south side of the building has been fenced off with chainlinked fencing and excavators have striped the pavment exposing the ground beneath. Meanwhile the back entrence has been sealed off from the interior with plywood and plastic and is currently being demolished. Inside, the back checkouts have been removed and that area sectioned off with ropes and yellow coution tape. The rest of the store though remains unaffected. However as fast as these workers are going that may soon change.

[blueradon]

Update:

The renovation has begun.

The entire section of parking lot on the south side of the building has been fenced off with chainlinked fencing and excavators have striped the pavment exposing the ground beneath. Meanwhile the back entrence has been sealed off from the interior with plywood and plastic and is currently being demolished. Inside, the back checkouts have been removed and that area sectioned off with ropes and yellow coution tape. The rest of the store though remains unaffected. However as fast as these workers are going that may soon change.

[tamias6]

Update:

At the south end of the store, the south entrence is now completly demolished and a temerary plywood wall put up to seal from the elements the hole left behind. Grading work and digging for the addition's foundation work is underway. From the street that goes up the hill to the subdivission behind the store, one can already see an outline of the addition formed by the four foot deep trenches dug for the foundation work. Lastly, the store sign located on the existing south wall has been removed. Added to that work on building a new retail entrence has begun where the public restrooms between the existing southeast entrence and the photo dept. are located. On the north east portion of the building, the white pyramid shaped structure over the outside entrence to the outdoor guarden center has been removed and the entry itself berricaded off from the public with temperary plywood panels. Inside, the interior remains mostly unchanged since the last time I saw it.

[Allison Slater]

Sounds like they're just going to town on that thing!

[Veloise]

... Added to that work on building a new retail entrence has begun where the public restrooms between the existing southeast entrence and the photo dept. are located. ...

[tamias6]

Update:

The entirety of the outside entry to the outdoor garden center has been demolished exept the posts and beam holding up the end of the breezway connecting to the store itself. Also, the outdoor garden center itself is in the process of being cleared of all mechandise and equipment there in. So it may soon go under the wrecking ball to make way for more parking as planned for that side of the building.

Meanwhile on the south side of the building where the bulk of construction is currently taking place, casting forms are in place and concrete being poured for the addition's foundation. Along with that, the retail entrence on the southeast corner of the building has been closed off and completely demolished to make way for the east end of the addition. A temporary entrence, where the adjacent restrooms where located, has been constructed using parts from the original entry. Lastly the construction area enclosing the old south parking lot and where the addition is to be built has extended 30 feet beyond the front of the store. In this new area, a very deep trench as been excavated for new and very massive concrete storm drain pipes now being installed.

Interior wise, other than the disappearance of the restrooms to make way for the makeshift retail entry, mention above, and the outerdoors of the demolished original retail entry replaced by more plywood and plastic, there have been no obvious changes.

[tamias6]

Update:

The exterior work continues as the old outdoor garden center on the north side of the buildings is in the finishing stages of Demolition. The entire area has been completely demolished while the concrete paving is being striped away exposing the raw earth for re-grading. The breeze way connecting the building to the garden center's outside entry, now demolished, is undergoing demolition and should be completely gone by the end of the day.

Meanwhile, on the south side of the building, concrete work for the addition's foundation is progressing at a moderate pace. At the back of the construction site, one can see dozens of palates of cinder blocks staged for the pending construction the addition's walls. So going vertical with the addition may come soon. At the front end of the addition's construction site, the storm drain pipes have been installed and the installation area backfilled. Also the street running from Alpine Ave. passed the store to the subdivision behind the store is receiving some construction. Shoulder work is being done to the north side of the road from the western most store parking lot entry to Meijer Credit Union on the southwest corner of the store property. This area will receive a six-foot privacy wall to discourage shoplifters and help screen the store from the houses across the street. Also judging from how the grading work of the shoulder is progressing a new sidewalk may be installed as well.

A side note:

I talked to an employee that has worked at the Alpine Meijer for quite a number of years about the renovation. He told me that Meijer had plans to renovate the store on the table for several years. However they had been canceled 4 times as the corporate heads was indecisive as to rather renovate the existing store or buy land further north and build anew. However, it was Wal-Mart's decision to replace their Alpine location with a super center store that galvanized Meijer's decision to renovate.

To me renovating the Alpine Meijer store is a good call because of the fact that very budget oriented west-siders are just to the south. Should Meijer have chosen to build anew further north. most likely they would have located somewhere on Four Mile or on Alpine somewhere further north of where the Wal-Mart super center is to be built. As a result the west-siders would have gone to Wal-Mart over Meijer because it would have been easier to access. However in choosing to renovate instead of building anew, Meijer has positioned itself on a very good spot. Being so much closer to the west siders and very little difference in prices as compared to Wal-Mart's "Always Low" prices, Meijer will still draw in more customers than Wal-Mart because of shear convenience not to mention that overall product quality is superior (personal opinion) to that of Wal-Mart.

[Veloise]

...Wal-Mart's decision to replace their Alpine location with a super center store that galvanized Meijer's decision to renovate.

... Should Meijer have chosen to build anew further north. most likely they would have located somewhere on Four Mile or on Alpine somewhere further north of where the Wal-Mart super center is to be built. As a result the west-siders would have gone to Wal-Mart over Meijer because it would have been easier to access. However in choosing to renovate instead of building anew, Meijer has positioned itself on a very good spot. Being so much closer to the west siders and very little difference in prices as compared to Wal-Mart's "Always Low" prices, Meijer will still draw in more customers than Wal-Mart because of sheer convenience not to mention that overall product quality is superior (personal opinion) to that of Wal-Mart.

[tamias6]

Oh I almost forgot to mention that some of the merchendise from the old outdoor guarden center have been moved indoors to the south west corner of the sales floor where the back checkouts used to be and arranged to help further block the gaping hole left by the demolished south entry from construction watchers like yours truly.

The rest of the interior remains unchanged.

[tamias6]

Update:

The old outdoor guarden center is now completly demolished. Today, an excavator has been removing the last of the concrete paving of the out door guarden center and placing debries into a dump truck to be hauled away. Meanwhile, on the south side of the building, the addition's foundation is complete with the first course of cinder blocks already laid. Along with that. the addition's concrete floor is currently being poured.

Side Note:

I must say that the Alpine Store is one solidly built structure judging by how thick the old guarden center's concrete paving is. The excavator removing it has been pulling out slabs that where 8" - 10" thick! I also saw the excavator up root a concrete pier three feet in diameter and nearly five feet deep with an attached footing the size of a larg dinning room table. All of this may be a hold over from when the 28th and K'zoo store was built. When that store was expanded into Meijer's first supercenter, Hindrik and Fred Meijer where not too sure if the consept of one stop shopping would go over. After all, a can of motor oil, a set of tools, a pair of shoes, and a couple of pairs of pants found in the same shopping cart with a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread was a very strange sight back then. So the Meijer's insisted that the concrete floors of the new supercenter be no less than 8" think enabling the building to be easily sold to the likes of a car dealership or any company that needed thick floors to support heavy equipment, should one stop shopping fail to take hold.

The Alpine store and the one on Plainfield are among the second generation of stores in Meijer's chain. As with the 28th and K'zoo store the Meijers were making a very big gamble when building these stores. So they must have insisted on thick floors to make them easy to sell off as well should they have failed.

[grrwymg]

Update:

The old outdoor guarden center is now completly demolished. Today, an excavator has been removing the last of the concrete paving of the out door guarden center and placing debries into a dump truck to be hauled away. Meanwhile, on the south side of the building, the addition's foundation is complete with the first course of cinder blocks already laid. Along with that. the addition's concrete floor is currently being poured.

Side Note:

I must say that the Alpine Store is one solidly built structure judging by how thick the old guarden center's concrete paving is. The excavator removing it has been pulling out slabs that where 8" - 10" thick! I also saw the excavator up root a concrete pier three feet in diameter and nearly five feet deep with an attached footing the size of a larg dinning room table. All of this may be a hold over from when the 28th and K'zoo store was built. When that store was expanded into Meijer's first supercenter, Hindrik and Fred Meijer where not too sure if the consept of one stop shopping would go over. After all, a can of motor oil, a set of tools, a pair of shoes, and a couple of pairs of pants found in the same shopping cart with a bottle of milk and a loaf of bread was a very strange sight back then. So the Meijer's insisted that the concrete floors of the new supercenter be no less than 8" think enabling the building to be easily sold to the likes of a car dealership or any company that needed thick floors to support heavy equipment, should one stop shopping fail to take hold.

The Alpine store and the one on Plainfield are among the second generation of stores in Meijer's chain. As with the 28th and K'zoo store the Meijers were making a very big gamble when building these stores. So they must have insisted on thick floors to make them easy to sell off as well should they have failed.

[tamias6]

For those who like to dig into city planing commision records and to provide some more info of what to expect to happen to the Alpine Meijer, here's the city of Walker Planning Commision Minutes dated Oct. 4, 2006 recording Meijer's bid to renovate the Alpine store.

Linky (Scroll to Case #06-470

[highwayguy]

M-DOT gives Fred free advertising on a wayfinding sign just before the exit. That's got to be worth a lot.