Meijer Moving into Apparel

Supermarket chain Meijer (Grand Rapids, Mich.) is looking to capture some of the clothing and shoe market from superstore competitors Walmart and Target, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Lynn Hempe, Meijer's group vp of softlines says the company is well-poised to market clothing as consumers purchase more casual apparel, such as athletic wear.

Currently, about 10 percent of Meijer's sales come from apparel. Hempe, who holds a degree in fashion merchandising, hopes to double that figure by making-over displays, using mannequins and store windows, and by promoting its clothing lines. Meijer is launching an ad campaign to promote the lines in magazines InStyle, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and Marie Claire. Hempe launched a digital and social media push, as well, centered around a new website, meijerstyle.com.