BOARDMAN, Ohio - The Mahoning Valley has a new superstore for people looking for a one-stop place to shop.

Meijer, which has 255 stores in six states, is opening its first location in the area.

The 155,000 square-foot store located on Route 224 in Boardman opened at 6 a.m. Thursday.

The new store offers digital shopping alternatives that have become a retail mainstay during the pandemic.  

Shop & Scan allows shoppers to scan barcodes via a mobile app and bag their items as they shop. Meijer also offers home delivery and pickup services that have helped encourage social distancing.

In addition to grocery items such as produce and meat, the Meijer store has a pharmacy and general merchandise items more often found in specialty stores, including women’s apparel, beauty care, a baby department, and a pet department.

The new store is currently operating under adjusted hours and maintaining coronavirus safety measures. The store is open from 6 a.m. until midnight seven days a week.

Inside stores, safety decals are visible on the floor where customers typically gather, and protective plexiglass shields are at every checkout station.

To help ensure the continued health and safety of its team members and customers, Meijer continues to require face coverings by anyone entering a Meijer store or Meijer Express station at all locations, except where medical conditions prevent them from wearing one.

Meijer executives say plans to open stores in Austintown and Howland have been delayed because of the pandemic.

Land has been cleared at the site of the former Austintown Middle School on Mahoning Avenue.

The plan in Howland is to demolish the existing K-Mart store and build a new 159 thousand square foot store with a gas station out front along route 46.