Frederik Gerhard Hendrik Meijer (December 7, 1919 – November 25, 2011) was an American billionaire businessman who was the chairman of the

Meijer Meijer Inc. (, ; stylized as meijer) is an American supercenter chain that primarily operates throughout the Midwest. Its corporate headquarters are in Walker, Michigan, which is a part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. Founded in 1934 a ...

hypermarket A hypermarket (sometimes called a hyperstore, supercentre or superstore) is a big-box store combining a supermarket and a department store. The result is an expansive retail facility carrying a wide range of products under one roof, including ...

chain, headquartered near his former hometown in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

Early life

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

Career

In 1962, he launched Meijer Thrifty Acres with his father and pioneered one-stop shopping. He inherited the company after the death of his father in 1964. In 1990, he handed over the company to his sons,

Doug Doug is a male personal name (or, depending on which definition of "personal name" one uses, part of a personal name). It is sometimes a given name (or "first name"), but more often it is hypocorism (affectionate variation of a personal name) which ...

and Hank, although he remained the Chairman of the Board until his death. As of September 2011, he was worth US$5 billion. He was the 60th richest person in the United States at the time of his death.

Personal life

In 1946, he married Lena Rader (1919–2022), the daughter of farmers, who had been a cashier in one of his stores. They had three sons,

, Hank and Mark Meijer. His grandson

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a s ...

became the

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

for

Michigan's 3rd congressional district Michigan's 3rd congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in West Michigan. From 2003 to 2013, it consisted of the counties of Barry and Ionia, as well as all except the northwestern portion of Kent, including the city of Grand R ...

in 2021. Meijer died on November 25, 2011 at the Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after suffering a stroke in his Grand Rapids home. His wife Lena died at 102 years old on January 15, 2022.

Legacy

Meijer Gardens October 2014 61 (Tropical Conservatory)

Meijer helped establish the

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a botanical garden, art museum, and outdoor sculpture park located in Grand Rapids Township, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1995, Meijer Gardens quickly established itself in the Midwest as a major c ...

. An Honors College at Grand Valley State University is named for him. A Chair in Dutch culture at

Calvin College Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed (Calvinist) ...

is also named for him. The Frederik Meijer Trail in

Kent County, Michigan Kent County is located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the county had a population of 657,974, making it the fourth most populous county in Michigan, and the largest outside of the Detroit area. Its county seat is Grand R ...

, and the

Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park is a long linear state park in the U.S. state of Michigan. The trail extends from northern Grand Rapids to Cadillac, and it lies on the path graded for the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad (later absorbed ...

are named after him following donations by the Frederik and Lena Meijer Foundation.Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park
Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Early life

Career

Personal life

Legacy

References

Further reading