Green Acres Nursery & Supply is building a new garden center at 2700 Sisk Rd in Modesto, taking over the site of a former Toys R Us that’s sat vacant since closing eight years ago, with an opening anticipated for spring 2027. Demolition of the original 1985-built, 46,000-square-foot structure began in late August, on a roughly 183,823-square-foot parcel valued at about $1.5 million as of January.
The property has bounced between failed plans for years. U-Haul purchased the building in 2021 and used it as a temporary showroom, intending to convert it into a storage and moving center, but that plan would have required a rezoning that never came together. The parcel was eventually rezoned for mixed use in 2023, opening the door for a different tenant to move in.
According to the Modesto Bee, city public relations and legislative affairs manager Sonya Severo said the city is looking forward to working with the property owner through the remaining planning and permitting process to finalize the timeline.
A family-owned garden center chain, Green Acres was founded by Mark Gill, who now co-owns and operates the company alongside his children, Travis Gill and Ashley Rossi. The company opened its first location in Roseville in 2003, converting a former transfer station into a garden center, and has since grown to seven locations across the greater Sacramento area, stretching from Auburn to Elk Grove, plus two additional stores in Texas. Each Green Acres location has leaned into repurposing existing buildings with its own distinct character, including a former Circuit City in Folsom and a barn-shaped store in Citrus Heights, following a similar pattern with the Modesto site.
DesCor Builders, a Roseville-based general contractor, is handling the demolition work. This Modesto location will mark Green Acres’ first store in Stanislaus County.
