diff --git a/public/sw.js b/public/sw.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4daad6b..0000000
--- a/public/sw.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,126 +0,0 @@
-// Custom service worker for push notifications
-// This will be merged with Workbox generated SW
-
-import { precacheAndRoute, cleanupOutdatedCaches } from 'workbox-precaching'
-import { clientsClaim, skipWaiting } from 'workbox-core'
-
-// Precache and route static assets
-precacheAndRoute(self.__WB_MANIFEST)
-cleanupOutdatedCaches()
-
-// Take control of all pages immediately
-skipWaiting()
-clientsClaim()
-
-// Push notification event handler
-self.addEventListener('push', (event) => {
-  console.log('Push event received:', event)
-  
-  let notificationData = {
-    title: 'New Announcement',
-    body: 'You have a new admin announcement',
-    icon: '/pwa-192x192.png',
-    badge: '/pwa-192x192.png',
-    data: {
-      url: '/',
-      timestamp: Date.now()
-    },
-    tag: 'admin-announcement',
-    requireInteraction: true,
-    actions: [
-      {
-        action: 'view',
-        title: 'View',
-        icon: '/pwa-192x192.png'
-      },
-      {
-        action: 'dismiss',
-        title: 'Dismiss'
-      }
-    ]
-  }
-
-  // Parse push data if available
-  if (event.data) {
-    try {
-      const pushData = event.data.json()
-      notificationData = {
-        ...notificationData,
-        ...pushData
-      }
-    } catch (error) {
-      console.warn('Failed to parse push data:', error)
-      // Use default notification data
-    }
-  }
-
-  event.waitUntil(
-    self.registration.showNotification(notificationData.title, notificationData)
-  )
-})
-
-// Notification click handler
-self.addEventListener('notificationclick', (event) => {
-  console.log('Notification clicked:', event)
-  
-  event.notification.close()
-
-  const action = event.action
-  const notificationData = event.notification.data || {}
-
-  if (action === 'dismiss') {
-    return // Just close the notification
-  }
-
-  // Default action or 'view' action - open the app
-  const urlToOpen = notificationData.url || '/'
-  
-  event.waitUntil(
-    clients.matchAll({ type: 'window', includeUncontrolled: true })
-      .then((clientList) => {
-        // Try to find an existing window with the app
-        for (const client of clientList) {
-          if (client.url.includes(self.location.origin) && 'focus' in client) {
-            client.focus()
-            // Navigate to the notification URL if different
-            if (client.url !== urlToOpen) {
-              client.navigate(urlToOpen)
-            }
-            return
-          }
-        }
-        // If no existing window, open a new one
-        if (clients.openWindow) {
-          return clients.openWindow(urlToOpen)
-        }
-      })
-  )
-})
-
-// Background sync for offline notification queue (future enhancement)
-self.addEventListener('sync', (event) => {
-  if (event.tag === 'notification-queue') {
-    event.waitUntil(
-      // Process any queued notifications when back online
-      console.log('Background sync: notification-queue')
-    )
-  }
-})
-
-// Message handler for communication with main app
-self.addEventListener('message', (event) => {
-  console.log('Service worker received message:', event.data)
-  
-  if (event.data && event.data.type === 'SHOW_NOTIFICATION') {
-    const { title, body, data } = event.data.payload
-    
-    self.registration.showNotification(title, {
-      body,
-      icon: '/pwa-192x192.png',
-      badge: '/pwa-192x192.png',
-      data,
-      tag: 'manual-notification',
-      requireInteraction: false
-    })
-  }
-})
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib/decommission-hub-sw.ts b/src/lib/decommission-hub-sw.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62fd4aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/decommission-hub-sw.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+/**
+ * Unregister the legacy hub service worker (closes #41).
+ *
+ * Pre-#41 the hub shipped a Workbox SW at `${origin}/sw.js` with scope `/`,
+ * which claimed the whole origin and blocked Chrome from offering installs
+ * for the path-mounted standalones at /libra/, /market/, etc. The hub is no
+ * longer a PWA; this helper proactively cleans up that stale registration
+ * for users who installed the hub before this change shipped.
+ *
+ * Only touches SWs whose scope is the origin root. Standalone SWs at
+ * /libra/, /market/, etc. live at deeper scopes and are left alone — they
+ * are still legitimate PWAs.
+ *
+ * Idempotent: once the legacy registration is gone, future calls are
+ * cheap no-ops. Safe to leave in place permanently.
+ */
+export async function decommissionHubServiceWorker(): Promise<void> {
+  if (!('serviceWorker' in navigator)) return
+
+  try {
+    const regs = await navigator.serviceWorker.getRegistrations()
+    const originRoot = `${location.origin}/`
+    const legacy = regs.filter(r => r.scope === originRoot)
+    if (legacy.length === 0) return
+
+    console.warn(
+      `[decommission-hub-sw] Unregistering ${legacy.length} legacy hub service worker(s).`
+    )
+    await Promise.all(legacy.map(r => r.unregister()))
+
+    if ('caches' in window) {
+      const keys = await caches.keys()
+      await Promise.all(keys.map(k => caches.delete(k)))
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.warn('[decommission-hub-sw] failed to unregister:', err)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index a12e2a8..f00fd9c 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -1,24 +1,15 @@
 // New modular application entry point
 import { startApp } from './app'
-import { registerSW } from 'virtual:pwa-register'
 import { cleanupStaleDevServiceWorkers } from '@/lib/dev-sw-cleanup'
+import { decommissionHubServiceWorker } from '@/lib/decommission-hub-sw'
 import 'vue-sonner/style.css'
 
 // Clean up any leftover dev-mode service workers from a previous session
 cleanupStaleDevServiceWorkers()
 
-// Simple periodic service worker updates
-const intervalMS = 60 * 60 * 1000 // 1 hour
-registerSW({
-  onRegistered(r) {
-    r && setInterval(() => {
-      r.update()
-    }, intervalMS)
-  },
-  onOfflineReady() {
-    console.log('App ready to work offline')
-  }
-})
+// Hub is no longer a PWA (#41) — unregister any legacy hub SW left behind
+// on users who installed the old hub PWA before this change shipped.
+void decommissionHubServiceWorker()
 
 // Start the modular application
 startApp()
diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
index b1e4ff5..b3de398 100644
--- a/vite.config.ts
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -2,12 +2,16 @@ import { fileURLToPath, URL } from 'node:url'
 import vue from '@vitejs/plugin-vue'
 import tailwindcss from '@tailwindcss/vite'
 import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
-import { VitePWA } from 'vite-plugin-pwa'
 import Inspect from 'vite-plugin-inspect'
 import { ViteImageOptimizer } from 'vite-plugin-image-optimizer'
 import { visualizer } from 'rollup-plugin-visualizer'
 
 // https://vite.dev/config/
+//
+// The hub is intentionally NOT a PWA (closes #41). Its scope `/` claimed
+// the entire origin and blocked Chrome from offering installs for the
+// path-mounted standalones at /libra/, /market/, etc. The hub is a
+// launcher page; users install the standalones they actually use.
 export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => ({
   // Per-app dep cache so concurrent dev servers don't race on .vite/deps
   cacheDir: 'node_modules/.vite-hub',
@@ -18,54 +22,6 @@ export default defineConfig(({ mode }) => ({
   plugins: [
     vue(),
     tailwindcss(),
-    VitePWA({
-      registerType: 'autoUpdate',
-      devOptions: {
-        // SW disabled in dev — was caching stale bundles across restarts.
-        // Run `npm run preview` to test PWA behaviour against a real build.
-        enabled: false
-      },
-      // strategies: 'injectManifest',
-      srcDir: 'public',
-      filename: 'sw.js',
-      workbox: {
-        globPatterns: [
-          '**/*.{js,css,html,ico,png,svg}'
-        ],
-        // Don't intercept standalone app paths — they have their own service workers
-        navigateFallbackDenylist: [/^\/sortir\//, /^\/libra\//, /^\/wallet\//, /^\/chat\//, /^\/market\//, /^\/cart\//, /^\/checkout\//, /^\/tasks\//, /^\/forum\//, /^\/submit\//, /^\/submission\//],
-      },
-      includeAssets: [
-        'favicon.ico',
-        'apple-touch-icon.png',
-        'mask-icon.svg',
-        // optional: include the icon PNGs explicitly if you also reference them directly
-        'icon-192.png',
-        'icon-512.png',
-        'icon-maskable-192.png',
-        'icon-maskable-512.png',
-      ],
-      manifest: {
-        name: 'AIO - Community Hub',
-        short_name: 'AIO',
-        description: 'Nostr-based community platform with Lightning Network integration for events, market and announcements',
-        theme_color: '#1f2937',
-        background_color: '#ffffff',
-        display: 'standalone',
-        orientation: 'portrait-primary',
-        start_url: '/',
-        scope: '/',
-        id: 'aio-community-hub',
-        categories: ['social', 'utilities'],
-        lang: 'en',
-        "icons": [
-          { "src": "/icon-192.png", "sizes": "192x192", "type": "image/png", "purpose": "any" },
-          { "src": "/icon-512.png", "sizes": "512x512", "type": "image/png", "purpose": "any" },
-          { "src": "/icon-maskable-192.png", "sizes": "192x192", "type": "image/png", "purpose": "maskable" },
-          { "src": "/icon-maskable-512.png", "sizes": "512x512", "type": "image/png", "purpose": "maskable" }
-        ],
-      }
-    }),
     Inspect(),
     ViteImageOptimizer({
       jpg: {