Sandy the Pony is a beloved icon here at Meijer, bringing joy and nostalgia to families for 62 years and counting. As we celebrate Sandy's birthday today, we look back on the history of this simple coin-operated ride that has become deeply embedded in the Meijer shopping experience across generations, symbolizing the value families come to expect when shopping our stores as each ride has only ever cost a single penny.
Sandy’s story began on June 5, 1962, at the grand opening of our Thrifty Acres, the first Meijer supercenter. At the time of the opening, a total of nine white penny ponies were present and cost 10 cents to ride. Meijer Co-Founder Fred Meijer immediately cut the cost of the pony ride from 10 cents to just 1 cent, making it affordable fun.
Several key moments helped boost Sandy to celebrity status. In 1999, LEGO presented Meijer with a Sandy made of 24,360 bricks in honor of our 65th anniversary in business. The life-sized model pony took Master Model Builder Paul Chrzan three weeks to design and another month to assemble.
Social media gave Sandy a popularity boost in recent years after a 30-second 2014 commercial advertisement, featuring young Meijer shoppers, debuted on television.
Sandy has also inspired countless acts of kindness as customers often leave pennies at the base for other to enjoy a ride.
We’re grateful for all the memories and smiles that Sandy has given us over the years. As Meijer celebrates the 62nd birthday of their legendary pony, Sandy shows no sign of slowing down – and will still cost just a penny.