A new supermarket opened its doors in downtown Saskatoon on Monday, the first in five years.

The new Uptown Market will carry an array of fresh foods, packaged foods and household supplies.

Since Extra Foods left the area, people who live near downtown have not had a full-service supermarket.

Co-owners Rexy Silva and his daughter Tabitha Silva said the food store will be convenient for both downtown residents and workers who commute to suburban areas.

"My dad [said] 'I don't want just to open a business, I want to serve the community,'" said Tabitha, who convinced her father to open the independent store.

"That's where his heart is at. There's no grocery store downtown. He said, 'there's a need and we can fill it.'"

Delphine Livingston, a resident of downtown Saskatoon, said she has missed having a full-service food store close by.

"[It was] very inconvenient," said Livingston. "I find that I buy less food because now I have to take the bus."

Livingston said she hopes the new store will focus on basic groceries instead of pricey specialty items.

Two specialty food stores offering take-out meals have also opened downtown in recent months.

The 465 square metre (5,000 square foot) Uptown Market is located on 2nd Avenue at 23rd Street East, which is the main floor of the former Hudson Bay department store.