FreshCo opens its first Vancouver store on November 12 at West Broadway and Alder
The discount grocery chain opens a 29,000 sq ft store in Fairview on November 12, the first FreshCo location in the city.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on grocerybusiness.ca.
FreshCo is opening its first Vancouver store on November 12, 2026 at West Broadway and Alder Street, Grocery Business Canada reported on November 5. The 29,000 square foot store will bring a discount grocery option to the Fairview/South Granville area of the city.
The neighbourhood already has a Loblaws City Market, which opened there in June 2026, according to the trade publication. FreshCo and Loblaws are both owned by Loblaw Companies, so the two chains will be operating in the same area.
The building and the sign
The store sits in a building that held a Toys R Us for close to 20 years. The fit-out was designed by WA Architects. The building keeps its original rooftop parking.
The exterior carries the BowMac neon sign, an 80-foot tall structure built in 1958. The sign is protected under a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the City of Vancouver, which means the owner must keep it in place. FreshCo placed illuminated white lettering over a new neon-green steel mesh background, the outlet reported, preserving the structure while updating its look.
The chain in B.C.
FreshCo first opened in B.C. in 2019, in Mission. The chain now operates about 17 locations across the province. Some of those stores trade as Chalo! FreshCo, a banner that carries South Asian grocery products alongside a standard discount range. The most recent B.C. opening before this one was in Langford in June 2026.
The November 12 store is FreshCo's first location inside Vancouver city limits. The company has not said how many staff the store will employ.
What residents can do
Residents in Fairview and South Granville can visit the new FreshCo at West Broadway and Alder Street when it opens on November 12, 2026. The store is a 29,000 square foot discount grocery outlet.
Questions this story answers
When does the first FreshCo in Vancouver open?
FreshCo opens its first Vancouver store on November 12, 2026. The store is at West Broadway and Alder Street in the Fairview/South Granville neighbourhood. The chain has about 17 locations elsewhere in B.C. but had no store inside Vancouver city limits before this one.
Where exactly is the new FreshCo store in Vancouver?
The store is at West Broadway and Alder Street in the Fairview/South Granville area. That neighbourhood already has a Loblaws City Market, which opened in June 2026. FreshCo and Loblaws are both owned by Loblaw Companies.
How big is the new FreshCo store at West Broadway and Alder?
The store is 29,000 square feet, according to Grocery Business Canada. The article does not say how many people the store will employ or what hours it will keep. FreshCo's other B.C. stores are typically full-service discount grocery outlets, the trade publication says.
What building is the FreshCo store in?
The store is in a building that was formerly a Toys R Us for close to 20 years. The building was designed by WA Architects for the FreshCo fit-out. It retains rooftop parking from the original layout.
What is the BowMac sign at the new FreshCo?
The BowMac sign is an 80-foot-tall neon sign from 1958 that sits on the building. It is protected under a Heritage Revitalization Agreement with the City of Vancouver. FreshCo kept the sign and updated it with illuminated white lettering over a new neon-green steel mesh background.
Is the FreshCo brand new to British Columbia?
No. FreshCo has operated in B.C. since 2019, when it opened its first B.C. location in Mission. It now has about 17 B.C. locations, including several stores under the Chalo! FreshCo banner. The Vancouver store is simply its first location inside the City of Vancouver.
What other grocery stores are near the new FreshCo?
A Loblaws City Market opened in the same Fairview/South Granville area in June 2026, according to Grocery Business Canada. The article names that store as already serving the neighbourhood. Both chains are part of Loblaw Companies.
Where can I find more business news about Vancouver?
voche.me covers business and jobs news from Vancouver alongside its coverage of the city's elected council, park board and school board. You can read all Vancouver news at voche.me. The site tracks the promises made by every elected person during the 2026 campaign.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Grocery Business Canada: FreshCo to open first Vancouver storegrocerybusiness.ca
- Vancouver Is Awesome (cited as image source by Grocery Business Canada)vancouverisawesome.com
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