New Brunswick town’s only grocery store to reopen 8 months after fire

James Walker, who owns Walker's Your Independent Grocer, is pictured in front of the store in Salisbury, N.B., on May 13, 2026. (Derek Haggett/CTV News Atlantic)

The Town of Salisbury, N.B., is getting its only grocery store back.

Walker’s Your Independent Grocer will reopen on Friday after fire destroyed the store on Sept. 28, 2025.

A news release from Loblaws said the store will open again at 8 a.m. following a quick rebuild.

“We rebuilt this store in a record breaking eight months and are so excited to welcome the community back,” said store owner James Walker in the release.

Salisbury Mayor Rob Campbell previously told CTV News Atlantic other stores in Salisbury added to their inventory by stocking more dairy, meat and frozen foods.

“We live in an amazing community,” said Campbell on Nov. 15, 2025. “This is a small area that really cares about people, and everybody’s chipped in to make a difference.”

Since the fire, Campbell said people have had to make the trip to neighbouring communities like Petitcodiac, Riverview or Moncton to get their groceries – an inconvenience for some people, especially seniors.

“This is the familiarity. This is what they know so it’s a huge, huge inconvenience,” said Campbell in November.

The new store will have a different look with more meals-to-go, a new-look bakery and a stronger focus on vendors from the area.

The Walkers will donate $1,000 to the Salisbury Helping Hands Food Bank to mark the occasion.

More to come…

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