Lidl Signed Lease for New Toms River Grocery Store
The grocer will take over a vacant 19,000-square-foot space in the Toms River Center plaza.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Lidl has officially signed a lease to open a new location in the Toms River Center shopping plaza. The store will occupy a 19,000-square-foot facility that has remained vacant for over a decade.
Why it matters
The arrival of a national grocer signals potential shifts in local retail competition and traffic patterns for nearby operators in the Route 37 corridor. Revitalizing a long-vacant anchor space can change consumer foot traffic habits for the surrounding shopping plaza.
The new 19,000-square-foot Lidl store will replace a site that sat empty for 11 years after a previous 30-year tenant, Foodtown, closed in 2015. Lidl currently operates two other locations within Ocean County.
The players
Lidl
An international discount grocery retailer operating a network of stores that competes on price and limited-assortment efficiency.
The details
Lidl secured the lease to occupy an existing building at the Toms River Center, situated near the intersection of Route 37 and Route 166. The space previously functioned as a Foodtown supermarket for three decades. The company is currently awaiting final approvals from local authorities before it can move forward with store renovations and operations.
Timeline
The former Foodtown supermarket closed in 2015.
Lidl signed the new lease agreement in October 2026.
Market Landscape
This lease marks the end of a long-term vacancy trend that began when the anchor tenant, Foodtown, shuttered at the location in 2015. The move reflects a broader retail strategy of backfilling established commercial plazas to capture existing consumer traffic flow.
Operators in the Toms River Center should monitor the upcoming municipal approval process for potential construction timelines that may impact plaza parking and access. Business owners should also evaluate how a new discount grocer will alter the local shopper demographic and existing traffic volume.
The takeaway
Retailers should track the progress of this site renovation as a signal for shifting consumer demand in the Ocean County area. Monitor local planning board agendas to anticipate the specific opening date and potential construction-related disruptions to the shopping plaza.
Further reading
For more updates on regional commercial activity, visit our Openings & Closings section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 100.1 WJRZ.
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