San Luis Obispo has a new grocery store.
Sprouts Farmers Market hosted a grand opening ceremony Wednesday morning.
Hundreds of customers waited in line to be the first ones in the door when the store opened at 7 a.m.
It’s one of nine locations set to open across the United States in the second quarter of 2019, and it’s the first to open in San Luis Obispo County.
The 30,000 square foot store is located in the former Forever 21 location in the Madonna Plaza Shopping Center.
The company hired more than 100 people to work at the new store.
“I’m most proud of our team members. Our team members are very engaged. They enjoy what they do. They believe in what we’re trying to accomplish in terms of our higher purpose,” said Dan Sanders, Chief Operating Officer of Sprouts.
The store specializes in fresh, natural, and organic products.
Sanders hopes the store will promote healthy living to the community in an affordable way.
“You know at Sprouts, we think that healthy living is all about inclusivity, not exclusivity. So we want to bring this format to people regardless of where their socioeconomic status might be, and we think it ought to be affordable,” said Sanders.
The company previously said the San Luis Obispo location would be one of three stores that feature new operational and design enhancements.
“It’s been a great opening. We’re excited about this store. It’s a beautiful store. It’s one of our prototype stores, so this has all of the bells and whistles Sprouts has to offer right now,” said Sanders. “We’re very excited about our commitment to not only the community but also to all of the great people that live in this great community.”
The store will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sprouts currently has more than 300 stores in 19 states across the country.
There was a small disruption during Wednesday’s grand opening ceremony when a teenage girl protested the store’s poultry sourcing practices by pouring fake blood on herself outside the store.
Sanders responded to the incident, saying the store is committed to sustainable food sourcing. He referred customers to the company’s website to learn more about the store’s practices.
