Excited customers of Sprouts Farmers Market lined up as early as 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night in anticipation of Wednesday morning’s grand opening of the new store on East Colfax Avenue.

The new store, between Garfield and Monroe streets on East Colfax, opened at 7 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony; Sprouts chief information officer Steve Black estimated that 700 to 800 people were on hand at that time.

“This actually exceeded our expectations, so the community has been real positive and responsive this morning,” Black said.

One of the reasons for the early arrival was a giveaway of free grocery bags to the first 200 people in line. The bags were full of assorted goods from the store.

Shopper Leslie Cordova said she should have come earlier as her 6:30 a.m. arrival was not early enough to secure a free bag.

“The line was already wrapped around the building, so we were on the other side,” she said.

Cordova, who lives in the neighborhood, said she was excited that there is now a grocer so close.

The 25,000-square-foot store is expected to serve as an anchor of revitalization in an area in need of a grocery store.