Erewhon Market (/ɛrɛhwɒn/ AIR-ruh-whahn) is an American upscale supermarket chain with ten locations, all in Los Angeles County, California, United States.[5][6][7] The chain is noted for being a popular locale frequented by entertainment figures as reported in celebrity gossip and lifestyle publications.
 Erewhon logo | |
 Santa Monica Erewhon store | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | |
| Founded | 1966[1] |
| Founders | |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Number of locations | 10[2] |
Areas served | Los Angeles County, California |
Key people |
|
Number of employees | approx. 216[3][4] |
| Website | erewhonmarket |
History edit
Erewhon was founded in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1966 by Michio and Aveline Kushi.[1][8][9][10] The name "Erewhon" is derived from the 1872 satirical novel Erewhon by Samuel Butler. In the novel, Erewhon, an anagram of "nowhere", is a utopia in which individuals are responsible for their own health and prosecuted for the crime of being ill.[11] With ten locations in Los Angeles County,[2] the brand has been compared to the early years of Whole Foods Market.[12]
The Erewhon Organic brand was originally a health foods producer with a single store. In 1979, the brand purchased from bankruptcy by employee Tom DeSilva.[13] In 2011, Tony and Josephine Antoci purchased the last store on Beverly Boulevard that remained open from the widow of Tom DeSilva.[14][15][16] Tom Antoci created and developed the brand into an upscale supermarket.[17] Following several years of increasing financial performance, New York–based private equity firm Stripes Group purchased a substantial minority stake in Erewhon in 2019.[17]
In August 2022, Erewhon opened their eighth location and first Beverly Hills location in the former Williams-Sonoma space.[18][19] As of 2023, Erewhon ships nationwide to all 50 states, as well as Australia, Canada and the UK.[20] In September 2023, Erewhon opened a location in Pasadena, the first east of Interstate 5.[21]
In 2024, Erewhon filed an environmental lawsuit to block the construction of a mixed-use development which included 520 apartments (78 of which were subsidized affordable housing), groundfloor retail and restaurants on the lot of a vacant 190-room hotel in Los Angeles.[22]
Locations edit
In popular culture edit
Erewhon is alluded to as "Anavrin" in the Netflix original series You. Protagonist Joe Goldberg works at the store.[28]
Season 25 episode 4 of South Park references Erewhon as part of a running joke.[29]
Erewhon is referenced in the Wallice song "Off the Rails."[30]
Erewhon is referenced by guest star Corbin Bleu in the fourth episode of season three of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.[31]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Our Story | Erewhon Market". Erewhon. Archived from the original on 2023-09-06. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Locations". Erewhon Market. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ "Erewhon Market Overview". PitchBook. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
- ^ "Erewhon Market Careers and Employment". Archived from the original on 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2023-09-09.
- ^ Howley, Kerry (2023-11-06). "Erewhon's Secrets". The Cut.
- ^ "What Is Erewhon? All About the Celebrity-Loved Grocery Store Chain". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Delouya, Samantha. "I compared the prices at Los Angeles's high-end grocery store Erewhon with 2 other popular markets". Business Insider. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Martin, Douglas (23 July 2001). "Aveline Kushi, 78, Advocate of Macrobiotic Diet for Health". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ Lewin, Tamar (5 January 2015). "Michio Kushi, Advocate of Natural Foods in the U.S., Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ Berlinger, Max (17 February 2021). "How Erewhon Became L.A.'s Hottest Hangout". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ "13 Inspiring Business Branding Examples for Strong Brand Positioning". 2021-01-13. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Erewhon's New Store Calls To Mind Whole Foods' Beginnings Forbes, Phil Lempert, April 11, 2018
- ^ Howley, Kerry (2023-11-06). "Erewhon's Secrets". The Cut. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Grocer is on a natural growth path Los Angeles Times, Ronald D. White, January 31, 2016
- ^ Hoberman, Natalie (2018-04-20). "Tony and Josephine Antoci | Betty Warner | Brentwood". The Real Deal. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ "History of Erewhon - Natural Foods Pioneer in the United States (1966-2011)". SoyInfo Center. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ a b Organic Grocer Erewhon Eyes Expansion After Private Equity Deal Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, October 7, 2019
- ^ "Erewhon Coming To Beverly Hills To Fill Former Williams-Sonoma Space". What Now Los Angeles. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ a b Ginsberg, Merle (1 September 2022). "The Well-Heeled Hungry Converge on New Beverly Drive Erewhon". Los Angeles.
- ^ "Erewhon". Erewhon. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
- ^ "Erewhon Market grand opening brings hundreds to historic Pasadena building". Pasadena Star News. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
- ^ "Erewhon sues city to stop Sportsmen's Lodge development in Studio City". Los Angeles Times. 2024-05-13.
- ^ Fear and Loathing at Erewhon, the High-Margin Grocery Store That Might Just Take Over the World Or at least Los Angeles… Los Angeles, Steven Blum, August 19, 2019
- ^ Andrea Chang (9 December 2021). "How Erewhon made luxury groceries a lifestyle". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022.
- ^ RDC Architecture News (23 March 2023) Erewhon Opens New Location in Culver City
- ^ Calayag, Keith (6 September 2023). "Erewhon Pasadena Opens on Sept. 13". Pasadena Now.
- ^ "Organic Grocer Erewhon Coming to Iconic South Lake Avenue Building". Pasadena Now. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "It Looks Like Anavrin, the Store From 'You' Season 2, Is Totally Based on a Real Grocery Store". Cosmopolitan. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- ^ "Back to the Cold War". South Park. Season 25. 2 March 2022. Comedy Central.
- ^ Wallice – Off the Rails, retrieved 2022-09-29
- ^ "HSMTMTS Season 3 Episode 4 | Disney+". www.disneyplus.com. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
External links edit
