Stockton's new Sprouts store opens Friday: 5 things to know
Asparagus, strawberries, limes and of course sprouts can be found at Stockton's first-ever Sprouts Farmers Market when it opens on Friday.
Sprouts is located between Burlington and an empty space for lease right next to Don Roberto Jewelers. Stockton’s first Sprouts is the third location in San Joaquin County with stores in Lodi and Lathrop.
“Sprouts Farmers Market is a store with strong customer loyalty, so we think Stockton residents will be very happy to shave off a lot of time traveling to get their favorite Sprouts groceries,” said Justin Long in an email. Long is the vice president of development at Brixton Capital, the private real estate firm which acquired Sherwood Mall (now Sherwood Place) in 2017. “Having access to healthy foods at reasonable prices is critical to people’s health, and we’re glad to play a role in supplying this option.”
Grand opening festivities will begin early Friday morning at Sherwood Place, 5308 Pacific Ave., suite 1040. The store opens at 7 a.m. after a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6:45 a.m.
From Friday through Sunday, shoppers can catch live music, exclusive offers and in-store samples. There will also be free activities for kids. A free reusable bag with samples will be given to the first 200 in-store shoppers during the three-day weekend.
Sprouts' first store opened 21 years ago in Chandler, Arizona. Now the brand has more than 370 stores around the country. It merged with Henry’s in 2011 and the year after, it acquired Sunflower Farmers Market.
The Stockton location has hired 84 employees. Many are San Joaquin Delta College students and Stockton residents. Sprouts is still looking to hire more people to have a team of about 100.
On Wednesday morning, The Stockton Record got an exclusive look inside the colorful new Sprouts store on Pacific Avenue. The Stockton store has a "unique layout" with an open floor that older stores do not have.
Here are five things you should know about Stockton's first Sprouts and the newest addition to Sherwood Place.
1. Stockton native is running Sprouts store
The new Stockton store is run by store manager Angel Baptista, a Stockton native.
Baptista, 40, is an alumnus of Edison High School class of 2000.
Next week, she will be celebrating five years of working with Sprouts. She has worked at several locations from Modesto, and Elk Grove to Lodi. She worked as a store manager for the Lodi Sprouts location from April through January.
On Feb. 13, she received the keys to her own store.
"It's exciting to open up a store in the city that I was born and raised in," Baptista said.
Prior to Sprouts, Baptista has more than 17 years of experience under her belt working with Walgreens.
“I never thought I would be here. So, it's exciting for me,” Baptista said.
2. Innovation center
Shoppers who are looking to find the newest grocery drops should check out the "innovation center."
This is a small section highlighted as "new for you" right next to the produce.
“Our innovation center ... some of that stuff is exclusive to Sprouts, or its brand-new items that are on the market … so as soon as we get it in, it'll be out on the shelf for customers to buy,” Baptista said.
Here you will find from Sweet Laurel pancake mix and Siete organic blue corn totopos tortilla chips to Mmmly soft baked cookies in a variety of flavors.
3. Bulk-food items to vitamin selection
Sprouts has a large vitamin section and is known for its organic fruits, vegetables, snacks and even baby food.
"With our vitamins and supplement department, we have somebody there who can help them and suggest the right things for them. Which you don't get that at any other retailer,” Baptista said.
The store makes its own sausage meats and prepares meals that someone can take home and cook. It also has a deli where you can order sandwiches.
If you like to buy in bulk, Sprouts has that too.
In the bulk department, you will find coffee beans, spices, dried fruits, nuts, and sweets.
"We have a lot of items there and we offer sampling through the store so if there's something that a customer wants to try before they buy it, we have someone here that can give them a sample,” Baptista said.
4. Locally-grown produce
Sprouts buys vegetables and fruits from local farmers.
One of the providers at the Stockton store is George Perry and Sons Inc., a family-owned business out of Manteca.
The produce is changed every morning and throughout the day to meet quality standards. Produce and items that are pulled off the bins and shelves are donated daily to Second Harvest of the Greater Valley.
“Not a lot of places do that. I remember, working at a previous company and we used to just throw stuff away in the garbage and here it's donations pick-ups daily and it goes to people in need, which is an awesome thing,” Baptista said.
5. Something for everyone
Looking for organic, gluten-free or paleo foods?
Sprouts items are tagged with different colors depending on the dietary need.
“Everything is going to be marked with the tag on the shelves to make it easier for customers to look for it. So, you know that when you see a blue tag it's going to be a local product," Baptista said. "If you see a green tag, you know that it's going to be a plant-based product and you can find that through every single department in the store.”
Some of the items available include raw milk, plant-based ice cream and gluten-free BBQ potato chips.
Instead of popular sodas and chips, Sprouts sells healthier options like Zevia sodas and the Sprouts brand with a variety of chips and flavors.
If you go:
Friday and Saturday
6:45 a.m. ribbon cutting (Friday only)
7 a.m. doors open
7 a.m.-4 p.m. Vendor Village: Taste samples as you shop in store!
7 a.m.-6 p.m. Pop-up Party: Join the free samples, fruit school, face painting, fruit cravings, “Guess the Weight” contest, and free recipes fun all in front of Sprouts.
Sunday
7 a.m. doors open
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Pop-up Party: Join the free samples, fruit school, face painting, fruit cravings, “Guess the Weight” contest, and free recipes fun all in front of Sprouts.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Vendor Village: Taste samples as you shop in store!
Noon -2 p.m. Free kids reusable tote coloring activity
Stockton shoppers can receive 20% off their in-person purchase when they sign up for an account this weekend. All they have to do is create and account, select Stockton for the store and scan the Sprouts app “MyBarcode” at checkout.
Sherwood Place will soon begin the third phase of renovations. New additional tenants are to be announced later this year.
“We are in discussions with a popular, established brand,” Long said regarding the empty space next to Sprouts.
Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton's Sprouts Farmers Market store opens Friday
