After weeks of anticipation in the community, Meijer opened today.

Meijer, at 1676 Westpark Drive, opened its doors in Bowling Green after a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning. In months leading up to today’s ceremony, Meijer donated goods and money to several local organizations.

Meijer co-chairman Hank Meijer attended the opening ceremony. (Because the ceremony ended after the Daily News’ deadline, a follow-up story will be published Friday.)

The store buzzed with activity Wednesday in preparation for the opening and for friends and family night. Workers sliced fruit, prepared baked goods, repaired scanner boards, stocked shelves and made other checks and adjustments before the evening’s activities.

Bill Thompson, store director, has been with Meijer for 10 years and has operated several stores. He began a tour of the Westpark Drive store with the Daily News in the produce section. Fresh produce is delivered to the store daily. Not all the food items were out yet Wednesday afternoon to ensure the freshness factor.

“Most people, when they think of Meijer, they think of freshness,” Thompson said.

Bowling Green’s Meijer is the 10th store in the Louisville/Lexington market and the farthest south. Kentucky has Meijer stores in Cold Spring, Florence, Lexington (two stores), Louisville (four stores) and Richmond.

The 191,000-square-foot store includes grocery, fashion, electronics, garden, sporting goods and health and beauty sections. The store also has a pharmacy with a drive-through, and a liquor store with a separate entrance. Meijer has 279 employees and is still accepting applications.

The Bowling Green Meijer is the only store with Tennessee Titans gear, and it also offers Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers, Nashville Predators, University of Kentucky Wildcats, University of Louisville Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds apparel. Meijer is unveiling an olive bar in Bowling Green, the first Meijer store to have one.

WKU, Bowling Green’s proximity to Tennessee and the size of the community all made Bowling Green an attractive location for Meijer, Thompson said.

Thompson said the company got the building April 21, and it was just a shell.

“It’s just amazing what we’ve been able to do in six weeks time,” Thompson said.

Every wide aisle was neatly packed Wednesday with dry goods, clothing, entertainment merchandise and beauty products. The store was spotless. Thompson stooped to pick up a lone scrap of paper from the floor.

“Overall, I think (the community will) be very surprised with what we stock on a weekly basis,” Thompson said.

Meijer uses earth tones for its color scheme and different lighting to help set it apart from other large retailers. Thompson said he believes the value Meijer offers its customers is exceptional, too.

“I think our prices are very comparable, if not better than, our competitors,” he said.

Thompson said the most thrilling part of his job is seeing the smiles on customers’ faces when they leave a Meijer, especially if it was their first visit.

“People ask me, ‘Why do you do this?’ My family asks me, ‘Why do you work in retail?’ And it’s that people (aspect). I just really enjoy that,” Thompson said.

Meijer opened amid a hotbed of new commerce in the vicinity, with Kirklands, Dick’s Sporting Goods and PetsMart within sight on Gary Farms Boulevard. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is set to open next door to Meijer at a later date. 

Meijer is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich.

— Follow business reporter Monica Spees on Twitter at twitter.com/BGDNbusiness or visit bgdailynews.com.