Greek value retailer Jumbo is preparing to open its first Canadian store at Vaughan Mills, taking over the former Toys “R” Us location as franchise partner Fox Group moves ahead with the banner’s Canadian rollout.
The store will occupy approximately 47,000 square feet at the Vaughan, Ontario shopping centre. Fox Group Jumbo Canada Inc. acquired the former Toys “R” Us lease through the retailer’s court-supervised restructuring, with the transaction closing in July.
Vaughan Mills is now promoting Jumbo as coming soon, while Fox Group has been recruiting employees for the location. Jumbo’s latest corporate guidance points to an early 2027 opening for its first Canadian store, subject to delays.
The opening will put a physical location behind expansion plans first disclosed in 2025, when Fox Group outlined plans for multiple stores in Ontario followed by a broader Canadian rollout.
Former Toys “R” Us Space is About 47,000 Square Feet
A Vaughan Mills lease plan reviewed by Retail Insider identifies the former Toys “R” Us premises, designated C2, at 47,042 square feet. The plan shows the unit near Entrance 3, between HomeSense/Winners and Hockey Life. The figure is also consistent with reporting during the Toys “R” Us restructuring that described the Vaughan Mills store as approximately 48,000 square feet.
Toys “R” Us Canada obtained protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act on February 3, 2026. A court-approved sale and investment solicitation process followed, eventually dividing key parts of the retailer among three buyers.
The Vaughan Mills lease went separately to Fox Group Jumbo Canada. The Ontario Superior Court approved the transaction on June 22, and the court-appointed monitor confirmed that the deal closed July 8.
Fox acquired the lease, not the Toys “R” Us business that previously operated from the store. Ad Populum acquired the Canadian Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us intellectual property, while a separate company controlled by Doug Putman acquired most of the remaining operating assets and a group of store leases.
Fox Group Prepares Vaughan Mills Store
Fox began recruiting for Jumbo at Vaughan Mills within weeks of completing the lease transaction, including management and other store-level positions.
The retailer Canadians will encounter bears little resemblance to a conventional toy store. Jumbo started with toys, but has developed into a broad value retailer selling home and decorative products, seasonal merchandise, stationery, baby products and other general merchandise alongside toys.
Home and decorative products accounted for 39.5 per cent of Jumbo’s 2025 sales, followed by seasonal products at 23.9 per cent and toys at 18.5 per cent. Stationery, baby products and other merchandise made up the balance.
The assortment puts Jumbo across several established retail categories in Canada. Parts of the business overlap with Dollarama, Walmart, HomeSense and Giant Tiger, while toys remain a significant part of the mix. The combination is unusual in Canada at Jumbo’s large-store scale.
Fox Group Holds Exclusive Canadian Jumbo Rights
The Canadian expansion is being led by Fox Group, the Israeli retail company that already operates Jumbo stores under franchise in Israel.
Fox holds the exclusive Jumbo franchise for Israel and Canada. The partnership has expanded Jumbo to six stores in Israel as of March 2026, with additional Israeli openings planned.
Fox also has existing retail operations in Canada, giving it infrastructure and experience in the market as it builds the Jumbo network.
Retail Insider first reported in December 2025 that Fox was preparing to introduce Jumbo to Canada. Plans at the time contemplated three Ontario stores during 2026, with between five and 10 Canadian locations targeted during the first three years.
That timetable has since moved. Jumbo said in an April 2026 corporate update that its first Canadian store was expected to open in Toronto in early 2027, provided there were no delays. Its 2025 annual report similarly identifies Ontario for the first Canadian opening in early 2027.
Jumbo Generated More Than €1.2 Billion in Sales in 2025
Founded in Greece in 1986, Jumbo has grown into a major multi-category retailer with a large store network in southeastern Europe.
At the end of 2025, the company operated 89 corporate stores: 53 in Greece, 20 in Romania, 10 in Bulgaria and six in Cyprus. Another 45 Jumbo-branded stores operated through partners in seven countries, including Israel.
Jumbo reported group sales of approximately €1.23 billion in 2025, up 7.22 per cent from the previous year.
The Vaughan Mills store gives Fox a roughly 47,000-square-foot location in an established GTA shopping centre for Jumbo’s Canadian debut. The former Toys “R” Us box will shift from a toy-focused retailer to a broader value concept selling home, seasonal, toy, baby, stationery and general merchandise.
An exact opening date has not been announced. Jumbo’s latest guidance points to an early 2027 Canadian opening, with Vaughan Mills now set to become the banner’s first location in the country, with more to come.
