Vancouver's first budget-friendly FreshCo grocery store opens in former Toys 'R' Us | Daily Hive

Vancouver's first budget-friendly FreshCo grocery store opens in former Toys 'R' Us, beneath landmark BowMac sign

The new FreshCo grocery store at 1154 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

The aisles that once held toys and baby supplies for decades are now stocked with groceries at a familiar West Broadway retail landmark.

Vancouver’s first FreshCo discount supermarket officially opened today, Thursday, Nov. 12, at 1154 West Broadway, which is situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of Alder Street and West Broadway.

The Sobeys-owned chain has taken over the former Toys ‘R’ Us building, bringing a new budget-friendly grocery option to the Central Broadway district and the Fairview neighbourhood.

You might also like:

FreshCo West Broadway is situated within a short walking distance of not only bus stops served by frequent bus routes along West Broadway, Oak Street, and Granville Street, but also two future stations on SkyTrain’s Millennium Line Broadway extension, which will open in late 2027. The store is about a 12-minute walk east of South Granville Station (on Granville Street) and about an eight-minute walk west of Oak-VGH Station (on Laurel Street).

freshco grocery store sobeys 1154 west broadway vancouver november 2026

The new FreshCo grocery store at 1154 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

The approximately 29,000-square-foot discount supermarket occupies the renovated single-storey building, including the former Babies ‘R’ Us space. During the final years of Toys ‘R’ Us’ tenancy, the property saw extensive deferred maintenance, with those issues now appearing to be resolved.

Its rooftop vehicle parking lot has also been retained and upgraded, with customers offered two hours of free parking while shopping.

Inside, shoppers will find fresh produce, meat, refrigerated and frozen foods, pantry staples, and baked goods. The selection also includes international foods from regions such as South Asia, the Caribbean, and Europe.

The new FreshCo grocery store at 1154 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

The main entrance into the store is located at the former Babies ‘R’ Us entrance near the western end of the block (next to the TransLink bus stop and staircase to the rooftop parking lot), while the former Toys ‘R’ Us entrance located mid-block is dedicated for the exit after passing through the cashiers.

The store is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., except Christmas Day.

As previously reported by Daily Hive Urbanized earlier this year, Sobeys submitted a development permit application to convert the former toy store into a FreshCo, adapting the existing building for its new use.

Toys ‘R’ Us closed the location in 2025 ahead of its long-term lease expiration, ending a run that began when the purpose-built toy store building was completed in 1997. The closure coincided with the overall demise of the chain in Canada and the United States, and the shutdown of the final toy stores bearing the chain’s brand and name in Metro Vancouver.

The new FreshCo grocery store at 1154 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

The property’s most recognizable feature has survived another change of tenant. FreshCo lettering now appears over the towering BowMac sign, replacing the toy retailer’s branding while retaining the historic sign underneath.

The conversion reused the steel mesh positioned in front of the original sign, painting it neon green and adding illuminated FreshCo letters.

Standing about 80 ft. tall, the BowMac sign dates to 1958, when the property was occupied by a car dealership. It remains a reminder of the stretch of West Broadway that once served as Vancouver’s car dealership row.

The BowMac sign is legally protected by the former toy store’s tenancy since the 1990s through a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the City of Vancouver.

bowmac sign 1154-1174 West Broadway vancouver 1995

BowMac sign at the BowMac car dealership at 1154-1174 West Broadway, Vancouver, as seen in 1995, before the redevelopment for Toys ‘R’ Us. (Heritage Vancouver Society)

Previous condition of the BowMac sign under Toys ‘R’ Us tenancy:

toys r us 1154-1174 West Broadway Vancouver bowmac sign

Previous condition: The heritage BowMac sign at Toys ‘R’ Us at 1154-1174 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

Existing condition of the BowMac sign under FreshCo tenancy:

The new FreshCo grocery store at 1154 West Broadway, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan)

FreshCo now has 11 locations across the Lower Mainland, including eight regular discount store locations — two in Richmond, and one each in Delta, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack — and three specialized CHALO FreshCo locations, which cater more to the South Asian community, with two in Surrey and one in Abbotsford.

Within B.C., Sobeys is most commonly associated with its brands of Safeway, IGA, and Thrifty Foods, with FreshCo being a more recent expansion into this market.

This is the second major grocery store to open in the immediate area this year.

In June 2026, a 22,000 sq. ft. Loblaws City Market opened at the northwest corner of the intersection of West Broadway and Granville Street — within the second level of PCI Developments’ 2023-built The Stories mixed-use tower, which is the tallest building along the Broadway corridor in Vancouver. This Loblaws store is directly above the future South Granville Station entrance.

the stories south granville station vancouver june 26 2026

Loblaws City Market opening day; The Stories tower at SkyTrain’s future South Granville Station, as seen on June 26, 2026. (Kenneth Chan)

You might also like: