Looking Back To The Grand Rapids Meijer Grand Opening & Kids Oasis
When I was a kid in the early 90s, Meijer was a very different store than it is today. I still shop there, but back in the day, there were so many cool things about the store that made it stand out. I recall being able to buy pets like birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, and gerbils. I also recall the VHS rental the store had as well. That's right, Meijer used to be a Blockbuster.
But one thing that I JUST missed out on was the legend of the Kids Oasis that was the main attraction for kids in the 60s and 70s:
The Kids Oasis had its roots in one of the early supermarkets at the corner of Michigan and Fuller in Grand Rapids, with a small play place called Kiddie Corral. The Grand Opening picture for Store 006 in 1952 shows the Kiddie Corral over to the left of the photograph.
The bigger stores opened in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s began to have Kids Oasis, including Kalamazoo, Lansing, Jenison, Royal Oak, and Canton. Kids Oasis had shag carpeting, fiberglass animals, and televisions showing children’s programs and was usually located near the toy section. As stores were remodeled this area of the store was phased out to make space for merchandise displays.
Things like these may never make a return to grocery stores, but we can all at least recall when stores were unique and gave you something a little extra to look forward to. Enjoy some of those memories below:
The First Meijer Store and Meijer Memorabilia
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