How Erewhon Became a Must-Visit Los Angeles Destination
When William Rath planned his post-law school trip to Los Angeles last May, he outlined stops at the city’s iconic landmarks: gazing at the Hollywood sign from Beachwood Canyon, touring celebrity homes, and scanning the Pacific Ocean off Long Beach for whales. Yet, amid these timeless attractions, one spot stood out as a nonnegotiable destination: Erewhon. Not for its groceries, but for its cultural cachet and visual allure.
The Allure of Erewhon: A Pilgrimage for Influencers and Tourists
Freshly graduated from the University of Oregon and already wielding influence on social media, Rath made his way to the Beverly Hills location of Erewhon, a luxury wellness grocer situated just steps from the famed Rodeo Drive. Where the likes of Hailey Bieber draw crowds with her Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie, Rath found himself unable to snag a coveted seat outside and instead retreated to his rental car, filming a TikTok review amidst the hustle and bustle.
“TikTok was the main reason I went. It’s always been on my ‘For You’ page,” Rath recalls, highlighting the omnipresence of Erewhon in influencer culture. “A lot of influencers go there to try different things. It’s a big trend, and it hasn’t stopped.”
From Wellness Haven to Tourist Attraction
Initially catering to wellness aficionados and Hollywood insiders, Erewhon has rapidly evolved into a universal icon. For some, it’s a local grocery store; for others, a bucket-list experience akin to visiting the Hollywood Walk of Fame or The Getty Museum. Guests now seek not just sustenance but also social media validation—a smoothie, an Instagram snap, and the status of having been “there.”
Christina Basias, an inspired visitor from New Jersey, underscores this phenomenon: “It’s a cultural moment,” she says. Accompanied by her wife, Alexis Androulakis, Basias explored Erewhon locations in Santa Monica, Venice, and Silver Lake, seeking out avant-garde products that are hard to find elsewhere. “At least 40% of what I see at Erewhon, I can’t find anywhere else,” Androulakis adds.
A Rich History of Health and Innovation
Erewhon’s journey traces back to 1966 when macrobiotic pioneers Michio and Aveline Kushi opened their first natural food stall in a Boston market. The name Erewhon, an anagram of “nowhere,” was borrowed from Samuel Butler’s 1872 satirical novel, envisioning a utopia where illness was criminalized. After Tony Antoci and his wife acquired the brand in 2011, they transformed the aesthetic, flooding the stores with natural light and introducing valet parking—a true sign of its upscale evolution.
The brand gained notoriety by collaborating with celebrities for exclusive smoothie recipes, none more iconic than Hailey Bieber’s Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie, which has indeed become a viral sensation.
Erewhon: The New Theater of Luxury Shopping
Navigating the boundary between curated wellness and celebrity allure, Erewhon has redefined grocery shopping by turning it into an exhilarating luxury theater experience.
First-time visitors often come simply to witness this spectacle for themselves. Influencer Chloe Forero, visiting from Chicago, exclaimed, “It was very much a Whole Foods on steroids.” To her, it felt more like a social experiment than a typical shopping experience. After spending $65 on sushi, juices, and snacks, she reflected, “The cookie was great, but I ate that sushi thinking maybe this will change my life. It was not.”
Mixed Reactions: Local Sentiments vs. Tourist Buzz
Longtime Erewhon customers sometimes express dissatisfaction with the influx of tourists. Meredith Lynch, a writer and influencer from Los Angeles, noted how the Beverly Hills location has become something of a stage: “So much about L.A., for better or worse, is about being seen. Erewhon is a place where people go to get seen.”
For newcomers like Kiara Dewrance, a chef from Cape Town, simply being at Erewhon fulfilled a dream of experiencing this “shiny L.A.” lifestyle—despite the hefty price tag of $20 for the famed beverage.
Pricing and Perception: The Cost of ‘Experiencing’ Erewhon
Reflecting on their first experiences, many visitors, such as Gibson Ardoline, a 19-year-old influencer, found the costs to be absorbing yet profitable. After spending $91 on a lunch of sushi, juice, and meals, Ardoline created TikTok content that ultimately compensated for his expenditures through views and creator rewards.
Another visitor, Patrick Oatman, expressed genuine admiration for Erewhon, remarking, “It seemed to be miles away from a regular grocery store. It felt like this out-of-reach L.A. thing.”
An Irresistible Experience
For Rath, his $100 tab at Erewhon was less about practical grocery shopping and more a rite of passage. “This couldn’t be my weekly place for groceries, but if I had a job in L.A., maybe I would go, although it would have to be like once every two weeks.” When asked to rank Erewhon alongside other iconic spots he visited, his answer was instantaneous: “Honestly? In-N-Out was fine, but I preferred Erewhon.”
With its blend of wellness culture, celebrity allure, and the promise of an unforgettable experience, Erewhon has solidified its status as a not-to-be-missed destination for anyone visiting Los Angeles. Whether you’re looking to reinvent your lifestyle or merely indulge in some glamorous shopping, a stop at Erewhon is undoubtedly an experience worth savoring.
For more information on the wellness experiences and products offered at Erewhon, check out their official website.
