12 Facts To Know About Erewhon: LA's Trendiest Gourmet Grocer

CORRECTION 3/27/23: A previous of this article stated Aveline Kushi sold the Beverly Blvd. Erehwhon location to Tony Antonci in 2011. Kushi passed away in 2001.

If you don't live in Los Angeles or spend much time there, you might not have heard about the nearly 60-year-old grocery store chain that is suddenly the place to be, especially among millennials. The thing that first made Erewhon special was its dedication to healthy, organic food and that continues to be a huge part of its appeal today. Not only does it stock minimally-processed food, but the majority of it also comes from local producers and growers. But more than that, what makes this place so special?

In the age of social media, Erewhon has all the makings of stellar TikTok reels. The stores are gorgeous and filled with even more gorgeous people, the juice bar whips up bright beverages that might cure whatever ails you, and the products are both good for you and wildly luxe. Like, luxe enough that you might not believe it if we told you. There are hours of online videos alone dedicated to people trying to guess how much 16 ounces of yogurt or a bottle of water costs (hint, it's a lot). But for all the people complaining about the prices, there are just as many loading up their carts and joyfully documenting the whole thing.

Located in Massachusetts rather than sunny, celeb-filled LA, the original Erewhon wasn't much more than a 10-by-20-foot stall in a dimly-lit basement market. Owned by Michi and Aveline Kushi, it is still regarded as the first store of its kind in North America. The Kushis were advocates of macrobiotic and natural foods, stocking the stall with nutrient-dense offerings like dried beans, nuts, and organic greens. They were also among the first to offer traditionally made Japanese ingredients including soy sauce, miso, and tofu. Erewhon quickly partnered with organic farmers across the U.S. to bring organic foods, namely grains, directly to their customers.

By 1968, the store moved to a larger and brighter location across the street, giving the Kushis an opportunity to expand the business and hire employees. Two of these employees begin traveling to Japan to find better products and prices. In this way, Erewhon was also able to begin a wholesale department so that other retailers could carry healthy, macrobiotic products. By the early 1970s, the Kushis started printing a catalog and in turn, opened a large distribution center to accommodate all the incoming orders. The company expanded and more stores were opened, including Erewhon West in Los Angeles.

Beginning in the late 1970s, Erewhon experienced decades of financial strife, but the company rebounded in 2011 when Tony Antoci and his wife Josephine took over the market Beverly Blvd. location. Antoci had a background in food distribution and was looking for something new. The Antoci decided to run Erewhon as a more local grocery store, giving customers the experience of shopping in a local, mom-and-pop type establishment, albeit a very chic one.

Antoci has had the interiors of the stores designed to fit in a 10,000-square-foot space with narrow aisles and tall shelves, much the opposite of what you'd find in other grocers or big-box stores. Erewhon wants its employees in the aisles helping people and building relationships. The narrower spaces also mean that people will be closer together and will have to interact, getting to know each other and strengthening the community. As for prices? The stores, which have expanded to nine Los Angeles locations (with another in Pasadena on the way), aren't for the frugal. Erewhon prides itself on offering healthy food that's also incredibly luxurious, and there seems to be a market for that, especially in LA.

It's entirely possible that you're willing to dish out the $200 Erewhon membership fee, especially if you don't bat an eye at a nearly $28 bottle of hyper-oxygenated water. While you don't need the card to shop there, it does offer some great perks. You can opt for just the cafe membership, which will only set you back $100 and works better for consumers who are just into smoothies and pre-made food. But, honestly, if you're already in love with the glam, coastal vibe of the place, why not go all out? Plus, members get a dollar back in points for every $10 spent, a complimentary monthly bevvie at the tonic bar, 25% off featured brands, and access to something called the "lifestyle collective" that gets you discounts on hotel stays to rowing machines. Also, free delivery ... but isn't part of the appeal of Erewhon going to the stores itself? Celebrity sightings, smoothies, and glistening piles of veggies all seem like worthwhile reasons to leave the house.

The cost of the membership has come under some criticism, with shoppers occasionally complaining that it seems excessive on top of the already higher prices. But if a luxury grocery experience is what you want, maybe that $200 card is completely worth it.

One of the things that makes Erewhon stand out, from both a business and customer standpoint, is the willingness to make it easier for small start-up companies to become suppliers. The brand prefers to highlight smaller, and often local, businesses rather than filling the shelves with the same organic coffee or hot sauce that customers can get anywhere. These independent and unique brands are what give Erewhon its appeal and customers are willing to pay for it; exclusivity is one of the best marketing strategies there is.

By relying on smaller producers, Erewhon gives these newer companies the ability to break into the market without having to commit to enormous amounts of inventory that would be impossible to generate. With less than ten stores currently, brands can easily ship a box or two of inventory as the demand increases. Compared to being picked up by a chain grocery like Whole Foods, which would require hundreds of items at a time, the smaller business model works exceptionally well for up-and-coming producers. Sometimes, all it takes is for the right product to get into the right store, followed by one viral social media post to make that product a household name.

The brand doesn't apologize about who it caters to — influencers, celebrities, and the healthy-wealthy of Los Angeles. The company stocks items that are unique, luxurious, and trendy with a focus on small and local businesses. The company itself identifies with the social media usage of its customers, curating a colorful feed of aspirational images, that includes some pretty gloriously colored smoothies, to its over 259,000 followers.

While the target consumers may love the niche wellness products that bring a certain cachet to their health and beauty routines, there are lots of others on social media with different outlooks. A video revealing some of the more outlandish prices, including $23 camel milk and $26 yogurt, left some TikTok viewers in shock. Many viewers railed against the unnecessary extravagance of the items, citing the dramatic inflation of food costs for the typical North American consumer, with one person calling the whole notion of the store "dystopian." No matter your feelings about the prices, Erewhon has still managed to cultivate an atmosphere that most shoppers really seem to appreciate, even if they're just stopping in for a quick snack — we've heard that the hot food is reasonably priced and nearly all restaurant quality.

Erewhon owner Antoci hasn't been shy about his plans to open more Southern California locations, with locations opening in Culver City and Pasadena in 2023. While Erewhon has become a quintessentially LA phenomenon — a glossy and gorgeous place to pick up skincare smoothies and organic nibbles that make for superb social media — Antoci is thinking that the East Coast might be craving some of that sunshine-soaked vibe, too. Stripes equity firm revealed in 2019 that they had a "substantial equity stake" in Erewhon that would not only go towards opening more locations in Northern California but possibly in New York City as well.

Sadly, NYC comes after quite a few slated new stores in the home state. Glendale, Santa Barbara, and the Bay Area are all likely to get their own locations before NYC does. However, with the upscale Dean and Deluca gone, the city might be ripe for a new entry in the ritzy grocery category. In fact, prior to taking over Erewhon, Antoci had seriously considered being a Dean and Deluca franchisee — but in what might be the best business decision made to date, went with the Erewhon market instead.