Local officials including Miss Upper Peninsula Teen USA Malorie Munson, and Marqette Township Supervisor Lyn Durant as well as Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes and Store Director John Spaulding cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the new supercenter in Marquette on Thursday. (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)

MARQUETTE –There was no shortage of music or balloons as the Meijer Supercenter in Marquette Township officially opened for business with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.

Hundreds of people including Meijer staff, local officials and customers gathered at the entrance of the 195,000-square-foot supercenter.

The Ishpeming High School Pep Band performed for onlookers just prior to the ceremony, and Marquette Mayor Dave Campana and Marquette Township Supervisor Lyn Durant each gave speeches welcoming the business to the area.

“We are glad they came here, we are glad they had faith in the area, and we wish them the best of luck,” Campana said.

“I have my agenda and my shopping list,” Durant said. “I want to thank the team of Meijers too because they were awesome to work with for the township employees and the staff. Planning, assessing, fire, public works — they all came to me and said, ‘This is a team that’s recognizable, they are awesome to work with,’ so I appreciate that.”

The supercenter is one of six stores Meijer is opening in the Midwest this year and is the third store in the Upper Peninsula. The company opened supercenters in Escanaba and Sault Ste. Marie in 2017.

Rick Keyes, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids-based retailer, was on hand for the ceremony as well.

“We are just so excited to be opening this store in Marquette,” Keyes said. “I like to think it’s long overdue. I want to thank the township officials, the Chamber of Commerce, Marquette for all of their support to help to pull this off.”

The store stocks 300,000 items and will have fresh produce seven days per week, Keyes said.

“On top of the products and maybe more important to us as a family company we started in 1934 is the impact that we can have on the community,” he said. “Hopefully you have seen that before we’ve opened, but I can guarantee you that’s going to continue long after.”

The company added to its growing list of contributions to local community causes with the presentation of a $25,000 check to Beacon House during the ceremony.