Is Sprouts is back on the town center's agenda?

If Sprouts is coming to the Lake Highlands Town Center –- and that looks more likely than it did 10 days ago –- then Trader Joe’s, Tom Thumb Lifestyle (the chain’s store at Mockingbird and Abrams in East Dallas) or Kroger’s Signature (the chain's store at the old Dr Pepper site) aren’t coming. 

Why has the Sprouts situation changed? I asked the company’s Patty Mulligan about reports I got from a couple of very good sources. Could she confirm or deny that Sprouts was considering moving into the town center and that an announcement might be made as soon as May? She said: “We usually don’t deny or confirm until we have a signed lease, so we’re not as far along enough with that process as necessary. So I can’t really deny or confirm.”

Which, in the journalism business, means maybe. Sprouts is probably looking at the town center, but no decisions have been made. When I talked to Mulligan last week, she said Sprouts was not interested in the town center “at that point.”

 

Wamre and I took a field trip to the chain's store at Forest and Midway on Friday. Rick took some pictures, and you can see the chain's weekly ad. The Sprouts has an open configuration, and it's about the same size as the old Lake Highlands Whole Foods. That makes it smaller than the old Lakewood Minyard's. 

The produce looked OK, and the prices were competitive. Don't expect to find too many national or local brands — no Pace or local restaurant salsas, for example, and Tom's toothpaste instead of Crest. The store had three short rows of bulk products, a well-stocked vitamin section, and one shortish row of frozen foods, mostly the sort of stuff you'd see at Whole Foods.

Comments

[CBS]

c'mon Trader Joe's...now that would be awesome!! completely unlikely but awesome!

[Bill Kennedy]

Sprouts kicks but when it comes to much more reasonable prices for similar stuff found at Whole Foods. And, like Whole Foods, it does not populate its shelves with the typical national brands, preferring not to duke it out with the plethora of Campbell's, Heinz and Lays pushers everywhere else on a corner near you.

[Triple Wildcat]

I think you mean "Sprouts kicks butt..."

Had to read it a few times to get your meaning :-)

[Cathy Russell]

Sprouts certainly is not needed in Lake Highland's........it would be really nice if we had a decent grocery store in our area that most everything could be purchased at rather than having to frequent two or three stores in order to get what's needed off your grocery list!

[CBS]

Cathy...I may not be the best shopper, but what can't you get at either Kroger, Albertsons or even the dramatically declining wal-mart grocery store? They all seem to have just about everything...but maybe my grocery needs are too basic.

That said, I personally would love Sprouts. Fresh/quality produce and more organic options would be very welcomed. Stioll Trader Joe's is unbelievable (basically Whole Foods type goods at Wal-mart type prices). Just don't think their first Texas store will be in little ol' LH.

[meredith]

Cathy is right. Kroger and Tom Thumb charge way more than Whole Foods or Central Market for anything it seems "specialty" such as Kashi items and anything else that is organic or natural. Plus, you couldn't force me to buy fish or poultry anywhere but WF or CM. But Kroger and Tom Thumb are much better places to shop for the more generic pantry-filling items on my shopping list.

[Annie]

Sprouts would be welcomed by my family. We do most of our shopping at Whole Foods and the Super Target, and Sprouts has the best prices on organic and grass fed meat and poultry, and good prices on their veggies as well. Tom Thumb and Kroger are overpriced for all of their natural and organic selections.