Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. The chain was ranked No. 18 on Forbes's 2008 list of "America's Largest Private Companies" and 19 in Fortune's 2008 "The 35 largest U.S. private companies".Supermarket News ranked Meijer No. 12 in the 2007 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2006 fiscal year estimated sales of $13.2 billion. Based on 2005 revenue, Meijer is the twenty-fifth largest retailer in the United States.
The Ohio State Fair is one of the largest state fairs in the United States. In 2011, attendance was 833,000, the fair's highest attendance since 2004. Held in Columbus, Ohio in late July/early August, the state fair contributes as much as 280 million dollars to the state's economy.