EXHIBIT 10.19

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                    THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), is made by
SPARTAN STORES, INC., a Michigan corporation (the "Company"), and JAMES B. MEYER
("Executive"). The parties agree as follows:

          1.          Effective Date and Term. This Agreement will take effect
as of November 15, 2001, and will remain in effect during Executive's employment
with the Company and thereafter as to those provisions that expressly state that
they will remain in effect after termination of the Executive's employment.

          2.          Employment.

          (a)  Positions and Duties. Executive will serve as the Company's
President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company's Board of
Directors ("positions") under the terms of this Agreement (the "Employment"). As
President and Chief Executive Officer, Executive shall perform the duties and
exercise the powers of such offices, and shall have supervision and control
over, and responsibility for, all aspects of the business, activities and
affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries. Executive shall perform such other
duties and have such other responsibilities as may be required from time to time
by the Board of Directors and as may be consistent with the Company's Articles
of Incorporation, Bylaws, policies and rules and regulations, and Executive's
positions. Executive shall report only to the Board of Directors and his powers
and authority shall be superior to those of any other officer or employee of the
Company or any subsidiary. The Employment will be full time and Executive's
entire business time and efforts will be devoted to the Employment, except as
otherwise provided by written Company policy. Executive agrees to comply with
Company policies, including but not limited to any applicable Company policy
requiring Executive to own shares of common stock in the Company. As used in
this Agreement, the term "Affiliate" includes any organization controlling,
controlled by or under common control with the Company.

          (b)  Performance of Duties. Executive agrees to perform all duties
called for under this Agreement and to the best of his ability to devote his
time, energies and skills exclusively to such duties during the term of his
employment. Executive's employment on this exclusive basis is with the
understanding that he may have business investments and participate in business
ventures which may, from time to time, require minor portions of his time, but
shall not interfere with his duties under this Agreement. In addition, he shall
be free to make speeches, write articles and participate in public debate and
discussions in and by means of any medium of communication so long as such
activities are not done in a manner inconsistent with his obligations contained
in this Agreement, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

          3.          Term of Employment. The term of the Employment will be
indefinite and will continue until terminated pursuant to this Agreement.

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          4.          Compensation. Executive will be compensated during the
Employment as follows:

          (a)  Salary. The Executive's annual salary for each fiscal year (or a
pro rated weekly amount for any partial year) shall be as the Company's Board of
Directors and Executive agree as reflected in Schedule A entitled "Compensation
Schedule," which is attached to this Agreement and made a part of this
Agreement. The latest salary amount on Schedule A will remain in effect until
changed by mutual agreement. The salary will be subject to normal payroll
deductions and payable in accordance with the Company's normal payroll
practices.

          (b)  Bonus. Executive will be eligible to participate in any bonus
programs designated by the Company from time to time in accordance with the
terms of such programs, which are subject to change from time to time in the
Company's discretion.

          (c)  Benefits. Executive will be eligible to participate in fringe
benefit programs covering the Company's salaried employees and officers as a
group, and will in addition receive the following specific benefits. Except for
the specific benefits listed below, the terms of applicable insurance policies
and benefit plans in effect from time to time will govern with regard to
specific issues of coverage and benefit eligibility and all benefit programs are
subject to change from time to time in the Company's discretion.

          i.          Membership in Organizations, Etc. The Company shall
continue to maintain and pay for the licensing and memberships of Executive with
and in all licensing or regulatory authorities or agencies, organizations,
societies or other professional groups of or with which Executive was a member
or licensed on the date of the execution of this Agreement in addition to any
others upon which the Company and Executive mutually agree.

          ii.          Automobile. During the term of this Agreement, the
Company shall furnish Executive the unlimited use of an automobile of a type
determined by the Company, as provided in Section (A) below, or an auto
allowance as provided in (B) below.

          (A)          If the Company elects to furnish an automobile, the
Company may replace such automobile with a new automobile at any time during the
term of this Agreement. The Company shall pay for all expenses relating to the
use, including gasoline, maintenance, insurance, repair and operation of, and
any purchase or rental payments attributable to, the automobile. Executive shall
pay expenses for gasoline for the personal use of the automobile, and, in
addition, the value of any personal use of the automobile shall be reported as
wages paid to Executive. Executive shall endeavor to keep a written record of
any expenses that he may pay and furnish them to the Company for reimbursement
when available upon written request of the Company. The Company shall pay
directly such expense, or reimburse Executive for such expenses promptly upon
receipt of notification of them by Executive. Executive shall have

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the option to purchase any such automobile on the terms and conditions set forth
in the contract or lease covering such automobile.

          (B)          If the Company elects to provide Executive with an
automobile allowance, the amount of the allowance shall be as necessary to
provide the Executive with an automobile benefit comparable in cost to the cost
of providing Executive with the use of an automobile on the terms described in
(A) above.

          iii.          Other Insurance and Benefits. The Company shall maintain
at its expense any life, health, accident and dental insurance maintained by the
Company for Executive as of the effective date of this Agreement and such other
insurance, health or other benefits that the Company provides generally to its
officers, unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise. During each
twelve-month period during the term of this Agreement, Executive shall be
entitled to such sick days with pay or such other benefit relating to sick days
as provided in the Company's sick pay policy. The Company shall provide and pay
for disability insurance benefits under the separate disability insurance policy
for Executive in effect as of the date of this Agreement, or any greater
benefits as may be provided otherwise under the Company's policy relating to
such benefits.

          iv.          Country/Athletic Clubs. The Company will provide
membership, including initiation and monthly fees, for one country club and one
social or athletic club located in the Grand Rapids area, each as selected from
time to time by Executive.

          v.          Vacations. During each twelve-month period during the term
of this Agreement, Executive shall be entitled to at least four (4) weeks or
such greater amount of paid vacation time consistent with Company policy.

          vi.          Fees, Etc. All fees, honorariums, compensation or other
things of value received or realized as a result of sales made or the rendition
of services by Executive under this Agreement shall belong to and be paid and
delivered by Executive to the Company, except for fees received by Executive for
serving upon boards of directors or boards of trustees, and except that
Executive may accept business gifts, travel and event expenses and fees, and
other similar benefits from vendors and others consistent with past practices of
the Company applicable to such benefits for officers. Executive will report fees
for serving on boards of directors or boards of trustees to the Board of
Directors' Audit Committee.

          (d)  Business Expenses. The Company shall pay directly or reimburse
Executive for all ordinary and necessary business expenses incurred by Executive
in performing his duties under this Agreement. Those expenses shall include, but
not be limited to, expenses incurred for entertainment, travel, meals, lodging
and the like incurred by him in the interest of the Company, as well as any
seminars, conventions or meetings and any other expenses contemplated by this
Agreement. Such expenses shall be paid or

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reimbursed promptly upon the Company receiving written evidence of them from
Executive unless Executive is unable to obtain such written evidence in which
latter event the Company shall pay such expenses upon verbal notification and
verification received from Executive. At its option, the Company shall be
permitted to require and Executive shall complete the filling out of an itemized
statement reflecting all travel, lodging and other legitimate reasonable
expenses incurred by Executive under this Agreement in a form and substance
consistent with the Company's standard policy.

          5.          Termination of Employment.

          (a)  Termination Without Severance Pay. Executive shall not be
entitled to any further compensation from the Company or any Affiliate after
termination of the Employment as permitted by this Section 5(a), except (A)
unpaid salary installments through the end of the week in which the Employment
terminates, (B) any bonus accrued through the date of termination under the
terms of applicable bonus plans, (C) any unused vacation or sick pay earned to
the date of termination, (D) any vested benefits accrued before the termination
of Employment under the terms of any written Company policy or benefit program,
and (E) an amount equal to the cash surrender value of any split-dollar life
insurance policies that the Company has obtained for Executive that is allocable
to the portion paid by Executive.

          i.          Death. The Employment will terminate automatically upon
Executive's death.

          ii.          Disability. If Executive is unable to perform Executive's
duties under this Agreement due to physical or mental disability for a
continuous period of one hundred eighty days (180) days or longer and the
Executive is eligible for benefits under the Company's long-term disability
insurance policy, the Company may terminate the Employment under this subsection
(a)(ii). If the Company terminates the Employment as the result of Executive's
disability, other than as provided in this subsection 5(a)(ii), the termination
of Employment will be deemed to be pursuant to subsection 5(b)(ii) below.

          iii.          Termination by Company for Cause. The Company may
terminate the Employment for "Cause", defined as Executive's: (A) breach of any
provision of Sections 7, 8, or 9 of this Agreement; (B) willful continued
failure to perform or willful poor performance of duties (other than due to
disability) after warning and reasonable opportunity to meet reasonable required
performance standards; (C) gross negligence causing or placing the Company at
risk of significant damage or harm; (D) misappropriation of or intentional
damage to Company property; (E) conviction of a felony (other than negligent
vehicular homicide); or (F) intentional act or omission that Executive knows or
should know is significantly detrimental to the interests of the Company.

If the Company becomes aware after termination of the Employment other than for
Cause that Executive engaged before the termination of Employment in

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willful misconduct constituting Cause, the Company may recharacterize
Executive's termination as having been for Cause.

          iv.          Discretionary Termination by Executive. Executive may
terminate the Employment at will, with at least ninety (90) days advance written
notice. If Executive gives such notice of termination, the Company may (but need
not) relieve Executive of some or all of Executive's responsibilities for part
or all of such notice period, provided that Executive's pay and benefits are
continued for the lesser of ninety (90) days or the remaining period of the
Employment.

          (b)  Termination With Severance Pay. Executive shall not be entitled
to any further compensation from the Company or any Affiliate after termination
of the Employment as permitted by this Section 5(b), except (A) unpaid salary
installments through the end of the week in which the Employment terminates, (B)
any bonus accrued through the date of termination under the terms of applicable
bonus plans, (C) any unused vacation or sick pay earned to the date of
termination, (D) any vested benefits accrued before the termination of
Employment under the terms of any written Company policy or benefit program, (E)
an amount equal to the cash surrender value of any split-dollar life insurance
policies that the Company has obtained for Executive that is allocable to the
portion paid by Executive, and (F) any Severance Pay to which Executive is
entitled under this subsection 5(b).

          i.          Termination by Executive for Good Reason. Executive may
terminate the Employment for "Good Reason" if and only if: (A) without his
express written consent the Company (i) assigns to him duties substantially
inconsistent with his positions, duties, responsibilities and status, or a
change occurs in his positions, reporting responsibilities, titles or office, in
effect as of the effective date of this Agreement, or (ii) reduces or curtails
his salary, bonus award opportunities or other benefits in any material respect
(except that a reduction in salary shall not constitute "Good Reason" if it is
an economic or business motivated reduction accompanied by proportionate
reductions in the salaries of all other officers of Spartan Stores, Inc.), or
(iii) fails to obtain the agreement of any successor of the Company to assume
and perform this Agreement, or (iv) fails to fulfill any of its material
obligations under this Agreement; (B) Executive notifies the Company's Chairman
of the Board of Directors in writing, within thirty (30) days after the act or
omission in question, asserting that the act or omission in question constitutes
Good Reason and explaining why the act or omission constitutes a material
breach; (C) the Company fails, within fifteen (15) days after the notification,
to take all reasonable steps to cure the breach; and (D) Executive resigns by
written notice within thirty (30) days after expiration of the fifteen (15) day
period under subsection (b)(i)(C). If Executive terminates the Employment for
Good Reason, Executive will be entitled to Severance Pay as provided in and
subject to Section 6. Executive's failure to object to a material breach as
provided above will not waive Executive's right to resign with Good Reason after
following the above procedure with regard to any subsequent material breach.

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          ii.          Discretionary Termination by Company. The Company may
terminate the Employment at will upon ninety (90) days' written notice on pay in
lieu of notice (thirty (30) days in the event of the Company's dissolution,
liquidation, discontinuance of business, bankruptcy, or general assignment for
the benefit of creditors), but if the Company does so Executive will be entitled
to Severance Pay as provided in and subject to Section 6. Any termination of
Executive's Employment by the Company under subsection 5(a) that is found not to
meet the standards of such subsection will be considered to have been a
termination under this subsection Section 5(b)(ii)).

          6.          Severance Pay. The Company will pay and provide the
Executive with the payments and benefit continuation provided in this Section 6
("Severance Pay") if the Executive's Employment is terminated as provided in
Section 5(b) above.

          (a)  Amount and Duration of Severance Pay. Subject to the other
provisions of this Section, Severance Pay will consist of the following payments
and benefits.

          i.          The Company will continue to pay for a period of one year
after the effective date of termination ("Severance Pay Period") Executive's
then current salary.

          ii.          The Company will continue Executive's life, health,
accident and dental insurance benefits for the one year Severance Pay Period
(which continuation would not reduce the period for which Executive and eligible
dependents may be eligible for continuation at Executive's expense under COBRA).

          iii.          All options to acquire any shares of Company stock that
are held by Executive will immediately vest and become exercisable for a period
of ninety days after termination to the extent by their terms they are not then
vested or exercisable.

          iv.          All risks of forfeiture applicable to any restricted
stock granted to Executive will then lapse and no longer apply.

          v.          The Company will purchase and transfer to Executive the
automobile then furnished to him under Section 4(c)(ii)(A) or, if the Executive
is then receiving an automobile allowance under Section 4(c)(ii)(B), the Company
will continue to pay Executive the automobile allowance during the Severance Pay
Period.

          vi.          The Company will pay Executive (as a lump sum, to be paid
within five (5) days after the Date of Termination) the difference between (A)
and (B), where: (A) equals the benefit to which Executive would have been
entitled under Appendix C of the Spartan Stores, Inc. Supplemental Executive
Retirement Plan ("SERP") if the Executive met all requirements to receive a SERP
benefit and if the Executive's Employment had continued for twelve (12)
additional

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months after the actual date on which Executive's Employment is terminated, at
the compensation provided as severance benefits under Section 6(a)(i); and (B)
equals the SERP benefit to which the Executive would be entitled under Appendix
C of the SERP if the Executive met all requirements to receive a SERP benefit
(but computed based on the date that Executive's Employment is actually
Terminated, and without the adjustments provided for in (A) above). Such payment
shall be computed assuming election by Executive of the lump-sum payment options
under the Spartan Stores, Inc. Cash Balance Pension ("Pension Plan") and the
SERP, and shall be made regardless of whether Executive would otherwise be
entitled to a payment under the SERP.

The Executive will receive the salary continuation provided in Section 6(a)(i)
notwithstanding any other earnings that the Executive may have, and subject to
offset only as provided in Section 6(c).

If Executive dies during the Severance Pay Period, Severance Pay will continue
for the remainder of the Severance Pay Period for the benefit of Executive's
designated beneficiary (or Executive's estate if Executive fails to designate a
beneficiary).

If Executive becomes eligible for long-term disability benefits during the
Severance Pay Period, payments under Section 6(a)(i) above will end on the date
that Executive is eligible to begin receiving such disability benefits.

The payments to Executive under Section 6(a)(vi) and 6(a)(vii) shall be in
addition to any payments under Section 3 and any payments under the Pension
Plan. The SERP is hereby amended to provide for payment of the benefits called
for under subsection 6(a)(vi) and (vii).

          (b)  Conditions to Severance Pay. To be eligible for Severance Pay,
Executive must meet the following conditions: (i) Executive must comply with
Executive's obligations under this Agreement that continue after termination of
the Employment; (ii) Executive must not claim unemployment compensation for any
week for which Executive receives salary continuation under subsection 6(a)(i)
above; (iii) Executive must promptly sign and continue to honor a release, in
form acceptable to the Company, of any and all claims arising out of or relating
to the Executive's Employment or its termination and that the Executive might
otherwise have against the Company, the Company's Affiliates, any of their
officers, directors, employees and agents, provided that the release will not
waive Executive's right to any payments due under this Section 6 or Section 5,
or any right of Executive to liability insurance coverage under any liability
insurance policy or to indemnification under the Company's Articles of
Incorporation or bylaws or any written indemnification agreement; (iv) Executive
must reaffirm in writing upon request by Company Executive's obligations under
Sections 7, 8 and 9 of this Agreement; (iv) Executive must resign upon written
request by Company from all positions with or representing the Company or any
Affiliate, including but not limited, to membership on boards of directors; and
(v) Executive must provide the Company for a period of ninety (90) days after
the Employment termination date with consulting services regarding matters
within the scope of Executive's former duties, upon request by

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the Company's Chairman of the Board provided, however, that Executive will only
be required to provide those services by telephone at Executive's reasonable
convenience and without substantial interference with Executive's other
activities or commitments.

          (c)  Offsets to Severance Pay. The Severance Pay due to Executive
under Section 6(a)(i) for any week will be reduced (but not below 0) by: (i) any
disability benefits to which Executive is entitled for that week under any
disability insurance policy or program of the Company or any Affiliate
(including but not limited to worker's disability compensation); (ii) any
severance pay payable to the Executive under any other agreement or Company
policy; (iii) any payment due to Executive under the Federal Worker Adjustment
and Retraining Notification Act or any comparable state statute or local
ordinance; and (iv) any amount owing by Executive to the Company that the
Company is legally entitled to set off against the Severance Pay under
applicable law.

          7.          Loyalty and Confidentiality; Certain Property and
Information.

          (a)  Loyalty and Confidentiality. Executive will be loyal to the
Company during the Employment and will forever hold in strictest confidence, and
not use or disclose, any information regarding techniques, processes,
developmental or experimental work, trade secrets, customer or prospect names or
information, or proprietary or confidential information relating to the current
or planned products, services, sales, employees or business of the Company or
any Affiliate, except as disclosure or use may be required in connection with
Executive's work for the Company or any Affiliate. Executive will also keep the
terms of this Agreement confidential. The Executive's commitment not to use or
disclose information does not apply to information that becomes publicly known
without any breach of this Agreement by Executive.

          (b)  Certain Property and Information. Upon termination of the
Employment, Executive will deliver to the Company any and all property owned by
the Company or any Affiliate and any and all materials and information (in
whatever form) relating to the business of the Company or any Affiliate,
including without limitation all customer lists and information, financial
information, business notes, business plans, documents, keys, credit cards and
Company provided automobiles or other equipment. All Company property will be
returned promptly and in good condition except for normal wear.

Executive's commitments in this Section will continue in effect after
termination of the Employment. The parties agree that any breach of Executive's
covenants in this Section would cause the Company irreparable harm, and that
injunctive relief would be appropriate.

          8.          Ideas, Concepts, Inventions and Other Intellectual
Property. All business ideas and concepts and all inventions, improvements,
developments and other intellectual property made or conceived by Executive,
either solely or in collaboration with others, during the Employment, whether or
not during working hours, and relating to the business or any aspect of the
business of the Company or any Affiliate or to any business or product the
Company or any Affiliate is actively planning to enter or develop, shall become
and remain the exclusive property of the Company, and the Company's successors
and assigns. Executive shall disclose promptly in writing to the Company all
such inventions, improvements, developments and other

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intellectual property, and will cooperate in confirming, protecting, and
obtaining legal protection of the Company's ownership rights. Executive's
commitments in this Section will continue in effect after termination of the
Employment as to ideas, concepts, inventions, improvements and developments and
other intellectual property made or conceived in whole or in part before the
date the Employment terminates. The parties agree that any breach of Executive's
covenants in this Section would cause the Company irreparable harm, and that
injunctive relief would be appropriate.

          Executive represents and warrants that there are no ideas, concepts,
inventions, improvements, developments or other intellectual property that
Executive invented or conceived before becoming employed by the Company to which
Executive, or any assignee of Executive, now claims title, and that are to be
excluded from this Agreement.

          9.          Covenant Not to Compete.

          (a)  Executive's Commitments. During the Employment Executive will not
do or prepare to do, and for twelve (12) months after any termination of the
Employment Executive will not do, any of the following:

          i.          directly or indirectly compete with the Company or any
Affiliate; or

          ii.          be employed by, perform services for, advise or assist,
own any interest in or loan or otherwise provide funds to, any other business
that is engaged (or seeking Executive's services with a view to becoming
engaged) in any Competitive Business (as defined below); or

          iii.          solicit or suggest, or provide assistance to anyone else
seeking to solicit or suggest, that any person having or contemplating a Covered
Relationship (as defined below) with the Company or an Affiliate refrain from
entering into or terminate the Covered Relationship, or enter into any similar
relationship with anyone else instead of the Company or the Affiliate.

Provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9 prohibits Executive from
owning not more than 2% of any class of securities of a publicly traded entity,
provided that Executive does not engage in other activity prohibited by this
Section 9.

Executive's commitments in this section will continue in effect after
termination of the Employment for the 12-month period set forth above. The
parties agree that any breach of Executive's commitments in this Section would
cause the Company irreparable harm, and that injunctive relief would be
appropriate.

          (b)  Definitions. As used in this Section 9:

          i.          "Competitive Business" means a business that

(A) owns, or

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(B) operates, or

(C) sells or supplies products similar to or that substitute for products
supplied by the Company to,

any Covered Operation (as defined below) that is located in any state of the
United States in which the Company owns, operates, sells or supplies products
to, any Covered Operation; and

          ii.          "Covered Operation" means any grocery store, grocery
superstore, wholesale club, supermarket, limited assortment store, convenience
store, drug store, pharmacy or any other store that offers grocery or food
products separate or in combination with pharmaceutical products, general
merchandise or other nonfood products, or any grocery or convenience store
product distribution facility; and

          iii.          "Covered Relationship" means a customer relationship, a
vendor relationship, an employment relationship, or any other contractual or
independent contractor relationship.

          10.          Amendment and Waiver. No provisions of this Agreement may
be amended, modified, waived or discharged unless the waiver, modification, or
discharge is agreed to in a writing signed by Executive and authorized by the
Company's Board of Directors of the Company. No waiver by either party at any
time of any breach or non-performance of this Agreement by the other party shall
be deemed a waiver of any prior or subsequent breach or non-performance.

          11.          Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this Agreement will not affect the validity or enforceability of
any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and
effect. If a court of competent jurisdiction ever determines that any provision
of this Agreement (including, but not limited to, all or any part of the
non-competition covenant in this Agreement) is unenforceable as written, the
parties intend that the provision shall be deemed narrowed or revised in that
jurisdiction (as to geographic scope, duration, or any other matter) to the
extent necessary to allow enforcement of the provision. The revision shall
thereafter govern in that jurisdiction, subject only to any allowable appeals of
that court decision.

          12.          Entire Agreement. No agreements or representations, oral
or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to Executive's Employment with
the Company or any of the subjects covered by this Agreement have been made by
either party that are not set forth expressly in this Agreement and the
Executive Severance Agreement dated _________, ____, between Executive and the
Company ("Executive Severance Agreement"), and this Agreement supersedes any
pre-existing employment agreements and any other agreements on the subjects
covered by this Agreement, except the Executive Severance Agreement.

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          13.          Coordination of This Agreement with Executive Severance
Agreement.

          (a)  Circumstances Under Which Section 9 of This Agreement will Lapse.
If there is a termination of Executive's Employment entitling Executive to
Severance Benefits under Section 3 of the Executive Severance Agreement, then
Section 9 of this Agreement ("Covenant Not to Compete") will lapse and become
void and of no further effect on the date of such termination of Employment.

          (b)  Coordination of Severance Pay under this Agreement and Severance
Benefits under Executive Severance Agreement. If Executive receives Severance
Benefits under Section 3 of the Executive Severance Agreement, Executive will
not be entitled to Severance Pay under this Agreement. If Executive becomes
entitled to receive Severance Benefits under Section 3 of the Executive
Severance Agreement after receiving Severance Pay under this Agreement, the
amount of Severance Benefits to which Executive is entitled under Section 3 of
the Executive Severance Agreement will be reduced by the amount of Severance Pay
received by Executive under this Agreement. If Executive is entitled to the
payments provided under Section 4 of the Executive Severance Agreement, then
Executive will not be entitled to a payment under Section 6(a)(vi) of this
Agreement.

          14.          Non-Contravention. Executive represents and warrants
that:

          (b)  No Restrictive Agreement. Executive is not a party to or bound by
any agreement that purports to prohibit or restrict Executive from: (i) engaging
in the Employment in which the Executive is engaged with the Company; or (ii)
inducing any person to become an employee of the Company; or (iii) using any
information and expertise that Executive possesses (other than information
constituting a trade secret of another person under applicable law) for the
benefit of the Company;

          (c)  No Abuse of Trade Secrets. Executive will not use in the course
of his Employment with the Company, or disclose to the Company or its personnel,
any information belonging to any other person that constitutes a trade secret of
another person under applicable law.

          15.          Dispute Resolution.

          (a)  Arbitration. The Company and Executive agree that except as
provided in Section 15(b) the sole and exclusive method for resolving any
dispute between them arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be
arbitration under the procedures set forth in this Section; provided, however,
that nothing in this Section prohibits a party from seeking preliminary or
permanent judicial injunctive relief, or from seeking judicial enforcement of
the arbitration award. The arbitrator shall be selected pursuant to the Rules
for Commercial Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association. The
arbitrator shall hold a hearing at which both parties may appear, with or
without counsel, and present evidence and argument. Pre-hearing discovery shall
be allowed in the discretion of and to the extent deemed appropriate by the
arbitrator, and the arbitrator shall have subpoena power. The procedural rules
for an arbitration hearing under this

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Section shall be the rules of the American Arbitration Association for
Commercial Arbitration hearings and any rules as the arbitrator may determine.
The hearing shall be completed within ninety (90) days after the arbitrator has
been selected and the arbitrator shall issue a written decision within sixty
(60) days after the close of the hearing. The hearing shall be held in Grand
Rapids, Michigan. The award of the arbitrator shall be final and binding and may
be enforced by and certified as a judgment of the Circuit Court for Kent County,
Michigan or any other court of competent jurisdiction. One-half of the fees and
expenses of the arbitrator shall be paid by the Company and one-half by the
Executive. The attorney fees and expenses incurred by the parties shall be paid
by each party; provided, however, that the attorney fees and expenses of the
party who substantially prevails in any arbitration brought pursuant to this
Agreement shall be paid by the other party or, if each party prevails in part,
then a proportionate part of each party's attorney fees and expenses shall be
paid by the other party, with such proportion to represent the approximate
portion of such attorney fees and expenses relating to the issues on which each
party prevailed.

          (b)  Section 15(a) shall be inapplicable to a dispute arising out of
or relating to Sections 7, 8 or 9 of this Agreement.

          16.          Assignability. This Agreement contemplates personal
services by Executive, and Executive may not transfer or assign Executive's
rights or obligations under this Agreement, except that Executive may designate
beneficiaries for Severance Pay in the event of Executive's death, and may
designate beneficiaries for benefits as allowed by the Company's benefit
programs.

          17.          Notices. Notices to a party under this Agreement must be
personally delivered or sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and
will be deemed given upon post office delivery or attempted delivery to the
recipient's last known address. Notices to the Company must be sent to the
attention of the Chairman of the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board
of Directors.

          18.          Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, and
construction of this Agreement are to be governed by Michigan laws, without
regard to choice of law rules. The parties agree that any judicial action
involving a dispute arising under this Agreement will be filed, heard and
decided in the courts in either Kent County Circuit Court or the U.S. District
Court for the Western District of Michigan. The parties agree that they will
subject themselves to the personal jurisdiction and venue of either court,
regardless of where Executive or the Company may be located at the time any
action may be commenced. The parties agree that Kent County is a mutually
convenient forum and that each of the parties conducts business in Kent County.

          19.          Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in original or
by fax in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and together
the counterparts shall constitute one complete document.

12

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          The parties have signed this Employment Agreement as of the effective
date in Section 1.

SPARTAN STORES, INC.

By: /s/ Dr. Elson S. Floyd

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     Dr. Elson S. Floyd, Chairman
     Compensation Committee  

/s/ James B. Meyer

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James B. Meyer

"Company"       

 

"Executive"       

13

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SCHEDULE A

COMPENSATION SCHEDULE

FOR

 

WEEKLY

 

APPROVED BY:

COMPENSATION

 

BASE

       

YEAR ENDED

 

SALARY

 

SPARTAN STORES, INC

 

JAMES B. MEYER

             

March 30, 2002

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$11,540.00

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ESF

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JBM

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