Organic grocery retailer Sprouts finally confirms first five metro Atlanta locations.

Phoenix, Arizona-based Sprouts Farmers Market, a specialty grocery store and market, has finally confirmed plans for locations in Snellville, Norcross, Dunwoody, Cumming and Johns Creek.

In Snellville , Sprouts will replace a shuttered Ethan Allen store in The Shoppes at Webb Gin (formerly The Avenue Webb Gin). The new store is expected to open this coming spring and is expected to be the first Atlanta area opening.

In Norcross , Sprouts will anchor Peachtree Corners Market, a new project from Fuqua Development. Peachtree Corners Market is located on Peachtree Parkway, across the street from The Forum.

In Dunwoody , Sprouts will replace what was once a Harris-Teeter, and later an Ace Hardware. The space at Mt. Vernon Shopping Center has been vacant for years and is bounded by Mount Vernon Road, Jett Ferry Road and Dunwoody Club Drive.

In Cumming , Sprouts will open at Lakeland Plaza, replacing a former 28,000 square foot Stein Mart. The center sits near the intersection of Atlanta and Buford Highways, just off exit 14 of Georgia 400.

In Johns Creek , (Suwanee to some), Sprouts will open at Johns Creek Town Center. The store will open in a former Shoe Galley space, adjacent to Stein-Mart. Johns Creek Town Center is located at the northwest corner of McGinnis Ferry Rd and Peachtree Parkway. The center is anchored by a Kohl's and is across the street from a large Kroger.

I'd expect for the Sprouts store openings to occur in the order above and for openings to begin in the second quarter of the year.

I've also reported that Sprouts is coming to Roswell, Smyrna and North Buckhead/Sandy Springs but these locations have not been conformed by any Sprouts representative.

In Roswell, Sprouts is planned for Roswell Marketplace, which sits at the corner of Mansell Road and Alpharetta Highway, and was previously a Big Star grocery store.

In North Buckhead/Sandy Springs , Sprouts is due to anchor the "Gateway Project" located along Roswell Road, at Wieuca Road. The large development has been a hot topic for area residents and although its likely to happen, an opening is not expected until 2015.

In Smyrna , Sprouts will anchor Olde Ivy Village. The new center, near the intersection of South Cobb Drive and the East West Connector, was previously home to a vacant Home Depot Landscape Supply, but will soon welcome Sprouts and a number of new businesses. Del Taco and Krispy Kreme are slated to open later this year, while a industry source tells me Sprouts is not due to open until mid 2015.

Sprouts is also rumored to be involved in a Fuqua Development planned project in Kennesaw, as well as a Cousins project in Decatur .

According to research and industry sources, each Sprouts in Atlanta should be between 25,000 and 35,000 square feet.

Sprouts went public last year, and the slow release of new store openings may be a result of their status as a public company.