New & Natural: Sprout San Francisco in Brooklyn

Don’t let the name fool you: Sprout San Francisco just opened its newest location and it’s in baby-booming Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. The West Coast transplant (which you may already know from its Upper East Side store) is committed to bringing its customers the best — and best looking — in all things organic and natural for kids. (Need a non-toxic toy phone made of sustainable rubberwood? Yeah, they’ve got that.)

The Dirt on Sprout
Located across the street from the neighborhood’s popular Carroll Park (and next door to an outpost of mega play space chain Kidville) Sprout is in the heart of this family-centric area. No doubt like many of the apartments nearby, the well-lit space is longer than it is wide, and features walls of exposed brick and a pleasing pale blue. Little extras that help make shopping at Sprout that much easier include a DucDuc play table at the back of the store to amuse the kids while you shop, and a customer bathroom. (Thank you, Sprout. You understand.)

What Grows There
Essentials for the sleep-deprived parents of Sprout’s youngest clientele are conveniently located near the register. Everything from organic formula, diapers and snacks, to organic onesies, burp cloths and binkies are well positioned for grab-and-go shopping.

Elsewhere in the store you’ll find organic toys, big kid clothes and, in a large back room, cribs, changing tables and strollers from makers including Ducduc, Clek and Noona. All the furniture is sustainably produced and painted with non-toxic dyes, and some of the gear is pretty hard to find anywhere else. (Take the Bumbleride jogging stroller for instance, which has been selling daily since the Brooklyn store opened its doors two weeks ago.)

In addition to selling many well known natural and organic brands such as Oeuf and Tane, Sprout’s Brooklyn branch also stocks a bevy of designers based in the borough including Williamsburg’s Agatha Cub and Brooklyn Animal.

Overall, you can expect a stylish, well made, nicely curated collection at Sprout, as well as prices comparable to what you’ll find at similar fashionable children’s boutiques. (But you already know small batch organic cotton onesies don’t come cheap.)

More Than Just a Store
Sprout’s Upper East Side location is popular not only for its goods, but its sense of community. (The Manhattan store hosts various events and classes for parents and kids on topics such as music, yoga and childhood development.) The Brooklyn shop plans to develop a similar schedule of happenings, specifically catering to the needs and desires of the community’s families.

photo: Sprout San Francisco

Grand Opening
On Saturday, October 18, the store will host a grand opening party open to all, from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. The celebration will include special events throughout the day, including a musical set from “Rockin’ with Andy,” a familiar face at the Third Avenue location. If you’re in the neighborhood, swing by and tell the staff what kinds of classes and events you’d like to see at the store — they want to know!