Sprouts coming to Lake Highlands Town Center: A sneak peek

The Richardson Sprouts store

After years on pins and needles, speculating and hoping we’d get a Sprouts at the Lake Highlands Town Center, you may have heard the big announcement at Councilman Adam McGough’s town hall meeting Tuesday night or read Sam Gillespie’s recap: Sprouts is indeed coming to LH. Bill Rafkin, Managing Director of Cypress Real Estate Advisors, announced that Sprouts would like to open its doors at the LHTC around March of 2017.

Okay, I have a confession. I’ve never been to Sprouts.

Oh, I’ve been on the Sprouts bandwagon and I get the general idea: Sprouts is some kind of smallish, fresh grocer. Their signs call them a “Farmers Market,” and their website touts “healthy, easy living,” “bright, cheery neighborhood stores,” and “incredible prices in an approachable setting.” But – between you and me – what is it, exactly? I decided to visit two nearby Dallas Sprouts locations and get a sneak peak of the LH Town Center’s soon-to-be anchor.

You can see my photos of the lower Greenville location (technically 1800 N. Henderson) and the Richardson location (Coit and Campbell) and some of the purchases I made for my family below.

Granted, Sprouts will be more to Lake Highlands than a place to buy organic oranges and fresh arugula. It’s a pivotal signee in a pivotal center at a pivotal time in the history of our neighborhood. Having Sprouts as an anchor tenant means Cypress can press for commitments from all the regional and local restaurants who’ve been circling – but staying on the fence instead of signing leases on the dotted line.

As soon as those dominos fall – and they will, says Rafkin – he can sign a cinema, a yogurt shop, retail stores, service companies, a yoga studio, a coffee shop – and other tenants. But Sprouts was the lynchpin.

We Lake Highlanders may not be willing to walk to the LHTC, admits Rafkin, but once we drive there, we’ll find plenty of reasons to linger and stroll. He’s banking on it.