Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood is receiving a culinary facelift this week.
The Meijer Fairfax Market is set to open on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 2190 E. 105th St. This Meijer isn’t like any normal grocery store, and that’s, sort of, the point.
Inside the 28,000-square-foot sales floor shoppers will be able to find an overwhelmingly local experience. The decor inside references several of Cleveland’s neighborhoods as well as the state of Ohio as a whole. More important, the goods inside are as local as they can be. Yes, there’s plenty of name-brand, nationally relevant products on the shelves, but there are local ones, too.
“You name it, we probably have it local,” says store director Alan Jordan as he walks through the store on a tour before its opening. “It’s local, truly up and down every single aisle in the entire store.”
Those items include things such as local beers and more than 500 wines in addition to the produce and meats available.
“It’s incredibly important to support local. Cleveland is one of the most passionate cities for local,” says Jordan. “Having that emphasis on local, truly embracing the uniqueness of our community. I've never seen in my professional career hot cereal that's made locally. But in doing this project, I was able to find that along with carpet cleaning powders, coffee, tea, I mean, you name it, you can find something local.”
Inside the store items from local vendors such as Maraq Gourmet Soup Shop, Catlin Naturals Luxury Body Care, Bigmouth Donut Company and Mac Attack are all available.
What’s just as important to the market as having things local is having them fresh for the community. There’s a 52-foot wet rack for fresh fruit and vegetables and a dedicated section of the store for locally sourced vegan options.
This is more than just a grocery store, though. There’s also a Saucy Brew Works Cafe area on one end of the store for quicker, grab-and-go type options. That section was made with local hospital workers in mind. This is a place for them to quickly grab a fresh lunch or dinner before, during or after their shift.
“This is more than just a grocery store,” Jordan says. “But truly a hub for the community.”
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