St. Johns County issued a building permit July 24 for a Sprouts Farmers Market.
The 23,975-square-foot store will be at Shoppes of St. Johns Parkway at 120 Shops Blvd. near County Road 210.
It will be the organic and natural food grocer’s 388th store nationally, third in Northeast Florida and first in the county, according to its website. The Jacksonville locations are at 4873 Town Center Parkway and 12675 Beach Blvd., Suite 200.
The project cost for the new store is $1.1 million.
Charlotte, North Carolina-based Little Diversified Architectural Consulting is the architect. J. Raymond Construction Corp. of Longwood is the contractor.
Sprouts replaces Earth Fare, a similar grocery concept that closed in 2022. Other tenants at the Shoppes include restaurants Canopy Road Cafe, Xtreme Wings, Ember & Iron and Hot Spot Power Yoga.
According to sprouts.com, the opening of a Sprouts could result in the hiring of more than 100 “team members” for positions that include department managers, cashiers and courtesy clerks.
“People thought we were crazy when we wouldn’t sell the country’s top-selling sodas, snacks and candy. But we believed that eating clean and living healthy was more than just a trend. At Sprouts, it’s our passion. And we knew that by focusing on farm-fresh produce and other healthy, affordable items, we could create a grocery experience where you didn’t have to be wealthy to eat healthy!” the site says.
Sprouts was founded in 2002 and opened its first store in Chandler, Arizona. Representatives did not respond to emails seeking comment.
The Food and Drug Administration considers natural to mean that nothing artificial or synthetic is included in a food where it’s normally expected.
Organic foods follow federal rules on soil, animal care, pest management and additives.
