Yesterday, two Sprouts stores opened in the Austin area - one in Sunset Valley and one (the one we visited) in Round Rock.

Being the foodies we are, my husband and I made a date to go check it out the very first day they were open. 

We arrived separately (I was coming from showing properties in several parts of the area) and found parking spaces relatively easily, surprising since the parking lot was full, full, FULL!  This should have been a hint.

We didn't take a basket, as this was planned to be an exploratory expedition.  Good thing, too - the store was not only packed, but the checkout lines reached halfway to the back of the store.  We maneuvered our way through the various departments, checking out the produce and the items available and doing some comparison shopping.  A good selection of items that I've had to drive further into town, to Whole Foods or Central Market or Sun Harvest, to find (though I'm still going to have to drive all the way in to get my favored brand of peanut butter, Arrowhead Mills crunchy), and some new items I wasn't familiar with by old, trusted vendors.  The produce looked good, though I didn't see any local produce (we are, after all, in the middle of a drought, and that might have something to do with it), and local produce is one of the reasons I was glad to see them open.  We'll be checking out the bakery items in our never-ending quest for great bread. 

All in all, this looks quite promising.  I'll be making a serious shopping trip sometime in the next couple of weeks, after the "new story frenzy!" slows down a bit.