Hiller’s Leadership Laments the Elimination of Arborland AATA Bus Stop

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. – “Sometimes it is difficult to say in public everything you believe,” says Jim Hiller, CEO and owner of Hiller’s Markets, which operates a store in the Arborland shopping center near a former Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) bus stop.

“That bus stop had an important socioeconomic function in Ann Arbor. I am deeply disturbed that the owners of Arborland removed it without so much as a phone call or email to me,” says Hiller.

On July 1, the AATA lost a bus shelter and transfer station at the Arborland Mall, leaving more than 1,000 riders who used that location daily in the lurch. The decision was made by mall management, despite 30 years of continuous bus service to the location on Washtenaw Avenue at US-23. An AATA board member said mall managers complained about the number of parking spaces lost to commuters who rode the bus to work. The mall is owned by Stamford, Conn.-based AmCap, Inc.

Hiller hopes it won’t be long before the powers-that-be reestablish an AATA bus stop at Arborland. “I strongly advocate that it be returned and that Arborland remain a comfortable site for a rainbow of people,” says Hiller. “We all benefit from that in innumerable ways.”

“Hiller’s welcomes all types and textures of customers and believes that social responsibility is inherent to corporate ownership,” he adds.

Founded in 1941 with a commitment to quality, service and selection, Hiller’s Markets has long been a company with a conscience. It is a national leader in gluten-free grocery products as well as the only regional grocery to strictly buy fish, meat and produce whose origins can be traced to humane, high-quality origins. In January, Jim Hiller discontinued cigarette sales at all seven stores solely driven by societal impact.

In addition to an extensive selection of gourmet and private-label products, Hiller’s stocks an array of foods for customers with specific needs – including nut, dairy and wheat allergies, kosher and ethnic diets. Its British, Japanese and Middle Eastern departments are unparalleled. Part of the Hiller’s mandate is to be a lifestyle and wellness partner to customers, suppliers, employees, the environment and surrounding communities.

Hiller’s groceries are located in Ann Arbor, West Bloomfield, Northville, Plymouth, Berkley, Commerce Township and Union Lake. Hiller has always been guided by the societal impact of store activities and corporate decisions and was disturbed that mall management did not consult tenants before eliminating the bus stop.

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