Sprouts Farmers Market is laying down its “roots” in Waldorf, Md.
Located in The Shops at Waldorf, off Festival Way, the specialty store offering fresh, natural, and organic foods held its grand opening on August 1st.
More than 1,500 shoppers lined up before 6 a.m. to witness the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the store’s shopping experience.
Charles County residents Dorothy and Gary Wilson arrived early to beat the line.
“This is wonderful, I’ve been waiting for something like this. Do you want to pay in doctor bills or do you want to pay in there, is the way I look at it. We have got to learn how to be healthy. If you’re not eating fresh foods, you are eating garbage. You are what you eat.”
Wilson said
Families were treated to a host of activities for the three-day extravaganza including a “pop-up party” where customers were given a chance to taste seasonal produce from the tasting bar, participate in a “guess the weight” contest of an oversized piece of produce and more.
The first 200 shoppers received a free reusable goodie bag filled with special products and samples. Inside the store, shoppers tasted new products while they shopped.
“Fitness is at the top of my game, because I am a certified fitness instructor. I’m so happy to have Sprouts here in Waldorf. Eating is the most important part of fitness. Approximately 80 percent of fitness is nutrition, so you must be able to expose yourself to organic foods which are at the top of the fitness regimen,”
Dockett said.
Sprouts Farmers Market is a supermarket chain that provides fresh produce, meats, dairy, and bulk foods as well as natural, organic, gluten-free, and plant-based options.
Commissioner Vice President Ralph E. Patterson, II, M.A. (District 4) says having the supermarket chain is a game changer for Waldorf.
“Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables are mandatory for a growing community. You need to have that in order to have a healthy and vibrant community. We listened to the community, and here we are. We also listened to the fiscal impact. In addition, healthy people mean less people going to the hospital. We hope this is the first of many to come,” he said.
“We are super excited, especially to see the line all the way down to the Pet Smart, this is way more than we expected, so this is a great thing for the community. Everyone has wanted a high-end grocery store for some time. It is also exciting to hear that people are coming from outside of the county as well. “added Natonya Thomas, General Manager, The Shops at Waldorf Center.
The Shops at Waldorf Center location will be the first in Southern Maryland and the eighth location in the state. Sprouts opened its first store in 2002 and operates 380 locations nationwide.
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