FreshCo to step into former Sobeys space on Burrows Avenue By: Aaron Epp Posted: 4:52 PM CDT Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026

Joanne remembers the exact date her go-to grocery store closed for good: Dec. 3, 2016.

The Winnipegger was in the hospital recovering from a surgery when a friend told her the Sobeys at Burrows Avenue and Keewatin Street — a two-minute walk from her house — was shutting its doors.

“I was so disappointed,” Joanne, who did not want her last name published, told with the Free Press on Wednesday.

The building has sat vacant ever since. Joanne now shops at the Safeway across the street from her old grocery store. She’s missed the convenience of Sobeys though, as she’s visually impaired and has difficulty crossing the busy intersection.

The 73-year-old retiree was thrilled when she learned FreshCo (Sobeys’ discount grocery chain) will open its newest location in the former Sobeys this fall.

Renovations started last month on the 31,000-square-foot space at 1870 Burrows Ave.

“I’ll definitely shop there,” said Joanne, who lives in a nearby housing complex that has many senior residents. “Everybody I’ve spoken to is happy about it.”

Limited full-service grocery options in the area meant residents faced significant barriers to accessing fresh, affordable food nearby, said Sandy Shindleman, founder and chairman of Shindico Realty Inc., which brokered the transaction and manages the property.

“There’s a lot of residential (in the area) and a lot of people that can walk to the site,” he said. “To give them another opportunity and another option to buy things at a lower price point makes us feel good.”

FreshCo consistently ranks as one of the cheapest grocery store chains in the country, according to GroceryPulse.ca. The website tracks a standardized basket of 50 everyday grocery items across major Canadian retailers in 12 cities, including Winnipeg.

“I’ll definitely shop there… Everybody I’ve spoken to is happy about it.”

FreshCo is the fourth cheapest out of eight retailers in Winnipeg, according to GroceryPulse’s latest ranking for the city. Safeway, Sobeys and Real Canadian Superstore are the three most expensive.

Like other FreshCo stores, the Burrows Avenue location will feature an open layout and commitment to quality fresh produce, meat, dairy and pantry essentials at low prices, Shindico announced in a news release.

Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas) described the new store as a win for the community.

“This is fantastic news for the Tyndall Park, Shaughnessy and Burrows neighbourhoods,” she said. “It’s very exciting to see that we’re getting a grocery store put back there after 10 years of not having a grocery store there.”

Santos announced the upcoming FreshCo location on her Facebook page in February. Some constituents commented they’re concerned about what the new store means for the Safeway across the street.

In Canada, the Safeway chain is owned and operated by Sobeys Inc., which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire Co. Ltd.

“I tend to think that competition within the community is good,” Santos said. “Giving that variety to the community, I think, is always going to be the best option for them.”

“Giving that variety to the community, I think, is always going to be the best option for them.”

Vern Hill agrees. He’s lived in the neighbourhood for 26 years and used to shop at the former Sobeys.

“We’re finally getting something there besides (an empty building),” the 64-year-old said. “We can have shopping close by and not have to drive with the price of gas being what it is.”

Sobeys opened its first two Winnipeg FreshCo locations in May 2019. It added four more stores to the city in 2020-21.

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca