A new produce-centric grocery store is about to open in downtown San Leandro.
Sprouts Farmers Market will debut this Friday with a weekend-long celebration of grocery-themed events (Nov. 14-16). It is located in the base of a new apartment complex, Centro Callan, and will be open daily until 10 p.m.
The large grocery will compete with a Safeway to the north, and another Safeway just to the south. It is the latest in about a dozen Sprouts that’ve sprouted throughout the Bay Area.
“I proudly welcome Sprouts Farmers Market to downtown San Leandro,” San Leandro’s mayor, Juan Gonzalez, said in a statement. “Sprouts strengthens our community by creating local jobs, supporting food access for families, and providing fresh, healthy options that reflect our city’s commitment to wellness and sustainability.”
A signature design touch at Sprouts — whose headquarters is in Phoenix, Arizona — is making the produce display a central feature of the store layout. It’s also known for focusing on organic items, as well as special diets like gluten-free, keto and non-GMO. In 2024, trade publication Progressive Grocer awarded the company the title of “retailer of the year” for its “curation and customer experience.”
For the opening weekend, the store is holding a “pop-up party” outdoors with music and giveaways, a produce-tasting bar and games to guess the weight of oversized veggies. The first 200 shoppers on Friday and Saturday will also receive a goodie bag stocked with special products and samples.
The pending arrival of the store has generated local buzz for at least a year. “I’m so sick of Safeway that I want to scream!” wrote one person on the San Leandro Reddit. Said another: “Sprouts will already be a game changer for the area. I’m still daydreaming that one day Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods will move in, but I’ll also settle for an Aldi’s …”
Details: Open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily at 1188 E. 14th St., San Leandro; sprouts.com