Thursday, February 5, 2015

Sprouts Farmers Market Planning to Take Root in East Cobb


Sprouts Farmers Market coming to East Cobb

Phoenix, Arizona-based Sprouts Farmers Market is planning a new location in East Cobb. The new Sprouts will be nearly 29,000 square feet and will include newly created space in Providence Square shopping center.  The spaces Sprouts will occupy were most recently an Office Depot and a few smaller storefronts.  The Sprouts is also adding additional square footage to the rear of their space. The large Office Depot had played host to a stupid-large Mattress Firm in the interim. Mattress Firm has now relocated to a roughly 5,000 square foot space to the right of Sprouts. 
Providence Square site plan pre changes / expansion related to Sprouts 
Providence Square is anchored by The Home Depot and is also home to a T.J. Maxx / Homegoods combo store, as well as Rack Room Shoes and Dress Barn.  A freestanding Chili's has been a property mainstay for years along with La Madeleine.  An Uncle Maddio's Pizza Joint opened in the center in 2013, and Chicken Salad Chick opened in the center last year.  
Updated site plan reflecting the enlarged space that Sprouts will occupy 
The Fresh Market has an existing nearly 22,000 square foot location about a mile away on Johnson Ferry Road in Woodlawn Square. Trader Joe's also operates a 12,000 square foot store in the area at Pine Straw Place. Additionally,  category leader Whole Foods Market opened a 45,000 square foot store in Merchant's Walk in 2013.  

Although not a direct competitor, a new nearly 48,000 square foot Walmart Neighborhood Market opened this October in nearby Olde Mill Shopping Center.  

Sprouts has been aggressively expanding their presence in metro Atlanta. Sprouts entered Georgia last year with locations in Snellville, Dunwoody, Peachtree Corners and Johns Creek. Sprouts opened its fifth Atlanta area store last month in Cumming at Lakeland Plaza in a former Stein Mart. 

This year, new Sprouts locations in metro Atlanta are already expected in Roswell, Midtown, north Buckhead / Sandy Springs, Smyrna.  

According to the Sprouts Farmers Market website:

"Sprouts Farmers Market works to deliver the best possible shopping experience, helping customers live a healthy lifestyle at an affordable price—not just buy groceries. Sprouts is a healthy grocery store offering fresh, natural and organic foods at great prices."

Personally, I've visited a number of Sprouts both locally and in their home state of Arizona.  I've found their pricing unexciting and in many categories, as much as, or more expensive than, everyday prices  at Kroger and Whole Foods.  Sprouts, like basically any retailer, does offer great "door-buster" pricing when a new store opens, but in the months that follow, the prices seem far from "great."  

Sprouts is not alone in their expansion plans for metro Atlanta.  Asheville, North Carolina-based Earth Fare is also planning a number of new stores.  With one metro Atlanta store now open in Peachtree Corners, new stores are in the works in Cumming and near Emory University.  

What are your thoughts of Sprouts Farmers Market? How does Sprouts stack up against other similar grocers? Do you think Sprouts is over-expanding locally? 

Please share your thoughts below.   

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm around the corner from the Dunwoody Sprouts and have liked it so far. I like that its layout is much closer to a traditional grocery store than Fresh Market. I do wonder why they are putting their stores so close together. The Dunwoody and Peachtree Corners stores are easily only 10 minutes from each other and the Johns Creek store is just up Peachtree Pkwy as well. Seems more like what you would do if you were a full service grocer which Sprouts definitely is not.

AJ said...

I like Sprouts and find their pricing better than Whole Foods and their selection better than Fresh Market. I'm assuming their need to expand is because 1) they are getting good deals on rent since it's difficult to fill large spaces and 2) the more stores they have in the market the more goods they buy which makes operations in Atlanta cheaper.

Anonymous said...

Sprouts gives people who may not have access to a whole foods or trader joes an opportunity to eat healthier. I know my family in Snellville was excited about the new store.

Anonymous said...

Expect 10 or more Sprouts stores in Metro Atlanta when all is and done. Their plan is to have 130 stores on the East coast.

BK31 said...

I was wondering what was going in there. I know my wife will be happy. The old Office Depot was torn down in its entirety late last week. Now if someone could explain to me why there is the need for 3 Matress Firms within a mile of the intersection of J Ferry and Roswell Road I'd really like to know. There's one in Providence Square, one in Merchant's Exchange on Roswell Road just across Johnson Ferry and a stand alone one on Johnson Ferry just south of East Cobb Dr.

Amy said...

funny how people compare Sprouts on here to WHole foods. Very LITTLE organic product and the produce does not last! lower prices clearly do not mean the same quality here. And, yes they are opening too many in areas where there is already a lot of grocery as well. grocery wars continue!

Anonymous said...

What we need is a H-mart or Farmer's market with more variety of selections in veges, fresh seafood as E.cobb is quite diversed.

Unknown said...

There is a Korean market on spring rd on Smyrna with great selection and prices

Unknown said...

Our daughter in San Ramon California said Sprouts is overpriced and mediocre

Delilah said...

Diversed as in diversified??

Anonymous said...

Foot Solutions is in the same shopping center, having there grand opening this week. Come find your new favorite pair of shoes right next door to Sprouts, and enter to win a $200. gift certificate.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...