CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Hundreds of excited shoppers lined up as early as 5 a.m. this morning for the grand opening of a new Sprouts Farmers Market location in Corpus Christi. The store officially opened its doors at 7 a.m. The new location welcomed customers with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by both new and veteran employees, marking a significant milestone for the organic grocery retailer.
The opening of the new location follows the closure of the older Sprouts store in the Gulfway Shopping Center on Airline. The new store brings an enhanced shopping experience to the community with expanded product selection, improved customer service, and modern amenities.
New team members are ready to serve the community, while others are closing chapters in their lives and retiring after working more than 40 years at the old location.
James Maresh began his career with Sun Harvest in 1981 and says he has enjoyed both the customers and the work throughout the decades. When Maresh saw the new store with all the upgrades and latest technology, he did reconsider staying to work a little longer, but he says now is the perfect time to retire and let the new generation take over the new store.
"I got to know a lot of the customers. Seeing the same faces come in all the time. I have employees that I actually hired and are still with the company, so it's just like one big family for all these years," Maresh reflected. "I walked the store this morning for the first time since it opened, and it's a beautiful store. I think people are going to love it."
Maresh said maybe he will come back as the invitation has been put out there, however he plans to spend more time with his grandbaby, go fishing, play golf, and just enjoy life for now.
As the crowds poured into the store throughout the morning, both new team members and longtime staff stood ready to welcome the devoted customer base that has made Sprouts a community staple, passing out roses and tote bags as tokens of appreciation for embarking on this new beginning in a more modern store and location.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
