The long-standing Tops Friendly Markets location at 1000 Portage Road in Niagara Falls, New York, has completed a roughly $1-million renovation that includes a new in-store pharmacy, upgraded fuel technology and expanded fresh-food offerings.
What changed at the Portage Road store
The 73,000-square-foot supermarket, which sits near the site where Tops opened its first supermarket in 1962, underwent exterior and interior work. On the outside, the project delivered a new storefront, fresh paint, updated awnings, signage and improved cart corrals. Interior work included new LED lighting throughout, refreshed décor and an overall store reset with a revised layout.
- Pharmacy: A new pharmacy opened Aug. 10 and accepts Nations Benefits and S3 health benefit cards.
- Departments upgraded: Deli and carryout café, bakery, produce and expanded refrigerated cases for Marketplace Deli and Meals to Go.
- Fuel station: New Gilbarco pumps with PCI- and EMV-compliant touchscreens, 3D barcode reader for mobile payments, and an interactive nine-inch screen.
- Food-access program: The Double Up Food Bucks initiative at the store now matches SNAP purchases on fresh produce with a daily cap increased to $20.
The company says the Portage Road remodel is part of a broader capital improvement plan: this was the chain’s 52nd major remodel in six years and contributes to a program that has topped $100 million across Tops’ three-state footprint.
“There’s no more fitting place to invest in the future of Tops than the community where our story began,” said Tops President Ron Ferri.
Upgrades at a glance
| Area | Key changes |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy | New pharmacy; accepts Nations Benefits and S3 cards |
| Fuel station | Gilbarco pumps, EMV/PCI-compliant touchscreens, mobile pay 3D barcode reader |
| Fresh departments | Expanded produce, bakery and deli displays; new fixtures and gluten-free items |
Beyond the physical changes, the store now participates in enhancements to the Double Up Food Bucks program. Initially piloted with a $5 daily cap when introduced at this location and Tops’ Jefferson Avenue store in Buffalo, the matching benefit for SNAP customers has grown to a $20 daily cap and is active at 43 Tops locations.
What this means for Niagara-area residents
Although this Tops location is on the U.S. side of the Niagara River, the refurbishment is notable for communities on both sides of the border. The store’s history in the city — including proximity to the site of Tops’ first modern supermarket in 1962 — gives the project symbolic weight in a region where cross-border movement for shopping and services has long been part of daily life for some residents.
The addition of a pharmacy and improved fuel forecourt technology may make the Portage Road location more of a destination for those who live or travel near the international boundary. Expanded fresh-produce offerings and the increased Double Up Food Bucks cap could also affect local food-access patterns for SNAP recipients who use the program.
For local retailers and shoppers in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the refreshed store is another example of continued investment in regional retail infrastructure. The work highlights how grocery chains are combining technology upgrades, an expanded health-services footprint and food-access programming as part of larger capital plans.
As retailers across the region modernize, decisions about where to shop will continue to reflect convenience, service offerings such as in-store pharmacies and fuel amenities, and benefit programs that make fresh food more affordable for low-income households.
