Sprouts Farmers Market now open in Vestavia Hills

Vestavia’s new and only Sprouts Farmers Market opened at 7 a.m. Wednesday, April 6 to a crowd of eager customers. As many as 150 customers waited in a line wrapped around the building this morning ahead of the store’s opening, some arriving as early as 4 a.m. to snag the first few spots. As previously reported, the store’s first 200 customers received 20 percent off their purchase.

Wayne Bagwell, who lives only a couple of blocks from the store, said he was proud to be the first customer to pay for an item this morning at the store.

“This is a beautiful place and [I] am glad to have them as a neighbor,” said Bagwell.

The store’s first printed receipt itemized Bagwell’s 74-cent purchase of an individual packet of seasoning.  

City Manager Jeff Downes first announced plans to open the store back in November 2014. The city used proceeds from America's First Federal Credit Union purchase of the former library property at 1112 Montgomery Highway to create a development incentive agreement with GBT for the development of the retail shopping center.

In February, the store held a hiring fair to employ 150 workers ahead of today’s opening. In its entirety, the shopping plaza is projected to generate more than $500,000 a year in sales tax revenue.

The store was initially slated to open April 13 but customers had no problem welcoming the store ahead of schedule.

Carla Jackson, a customer of the Sprouts Farmers Market on Highway 150 in Hoover, made her way to Vestavia this morning to check out the new store. Jackson said she enjoyed the store’s atmosphere this morning, as employees and managers clapped and cheered as customers walked in. Samples were not hard to come by today, as employees also handed out small tastes of freshly-baked bread, sausage and other foods.

“They have the freshest vegetables,” said Jackson, “and I like just about everything I find here.” 

Sprouts Farmers Market, located at 1031 Montgomery Highway, is the same shopping center as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Papa Murphy's Pizza. It sits across the street from the Vestavia Hills Municipal Complex. For more information about Sprouts Farmers Market, visit sprouts.com.