EAST LANSING, MI -- Michigan's first Fresh Thyme grocery store opened Wednesday in East Lansing to more than 375 customers who started lining up around 4 a.m.

"We had one here last night at 10 o'clock," said Dave Bernier, vice president of operations for Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.

He said the East Lansing store was the first to open in Michigan, and the company plans to open 10 to 12 more throughout the state. In July, locations in Troy, Rochester Hills and Northville will open. The chain has signed leases in Grand Rapids and Ypsilanti and is looking at Kalamazoo as well, he said.

Fresh Thyme has been described as a Trader Joe's/Whole Foods hybrid, and counts Michigan retailer Meijer among its investors. It has locations in Indiana, Ohio, Missouri and Illinois.

The East Lansing store employs 100 people and by the end of the year the chain will employ 500 people in Michigan, Bernier said. He was encouraged by the excitement over the store's opening, and loves some of the Michigan products the store features.

The store's concept is upscale but inexpensive. It features a wide array of organic products, bulk items and produce.

Avocados were on sale for 50 cents each, and a three-pound bag of onions was on sale for 99 cents. Regular coffee was marked at $6.99 a pound and the organic version runs $7.99 per pound. The store also stocks beer and a wine selection ranging from $5.99 to $29.99 a bottle.

Ken Howe drove from Dimondale for the store's opening. He said it was a bit far to drive for the prices, which he described as "not exceptional." But he sees it performing well with Michigan State University nearby.

"I think they'll do well with the student body," Howe said.

Jessica Barnes-Najor usually shops at Kroger, Meijer, Foods for Living and Better Health to get good prices on specific items. Some things she saw were great deals, and others she knew she could get at her regular stores for the same price or a lower one. But the selection is good, she said.

"I like that they have the maple syrup on tap. . . things like that make it definitely worth shopping once in a while," Barnes-Najor said.

Bernier said one of the hallmarks of the store is that they work with community partners, like the MSU Food Bank, as well as local farmers. The stores carry products from the communities they're in.

"We just have a big appeal with local, so we want to carry local products," Bernier said.

The East Lansing store is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Emily Lawler is a Capitol/Business reporter for MLive. You can reach her at elawler@mlive.com, subscribe to her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @emilyjanelawler.