I'm a lifelong New Yorker who took my first trip to Los Angeles this year.
I knew one of the stores I needed to visit was Erewhon, an LA-based health food chain.
New Yorkers are obsessed with health trends, but that's nothing compared to what I saw at Erewhon.
Chances are, if you've spent any time on TikTok, have a vague interest in health foods, have watched season two of "You," or have a working knowledge of Los Angeles culture and Hailey Bieber, you've heard of Erewhon.
But if you haven't: Erewhon is a Los Angeles-based health-food chain that's a favorite of celebrities like Jake Gyllenhaal, Miley Cyrus, A$AP Rocky, and more.
According to Erewhon's website, the store's founders Michio and Aveline Kushi opened the first location in Los Angeles in 1968 after they moved from Boston. They were inspired by the macrobiotic diet, which, as Business Insider has described, "emphasizes whole grains, soy, and vegetables."
The brand is now committed to selling organic produce that has never been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides and is non-GMO. According to the company, its seafood must be "sustainably sourced, farmed, or wild-caught"; the meat must come from a "healthy environment" with "open spaces"; and its food must be grown in a "complete bio-system" that "promotes biodiversity," among other things.
Until 2014, there was just one Erewhon location near The Grove, an outdoor mall. That year, a second location opened in Calabasas. Since then, eight more Erewhon locations have opened for a total of 10.
During my first trip to Los Angeles this year, I wanted to visit an Erewhon — an anagram of "nowhere" — to see why it's become so famous, even on the East Coast where there's no store. So when I came across the Venice location, I was delighted.
Here's what my visit was like.
I visited the Erewhon location in Venice, which opened in 2016.
Erewhon in Venice.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
The first thing I noticed was an outdoor seating area that made the store seem more like a café. It was pretty packed inside, so I was surprised more people weren't sitting here.
Outdoor seating at Erewhon.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
A complimentary valet stand also made it clear this was not your typical grocery store. I couldn't tell how many people were using it, though the lot was busy.
The valet at Erewhon.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
This Erewhon was modeled to look like a barn inside, with rustic wood and exposed beams. I am not getting this aesthetic experience in my Manhattan grocery stores.
The interior.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
One of the first products I saw were these Erewhon-branded candles, which cost $52.
Erewhon candles.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
I also passed a display of Erewhon bottled water – of course, the LA-based brand uses glass, not plastic. They were $4 a pop.
Erewhon water.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Not everything was Erewhon-branded. At a small beauty display, I saw other luxury brands, like Salt & Stone, which, in New York City, is only sold at cosmetics stores like Sephora.
Salt & Stone at Erewhon.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
But for the most part, almost every product had a high-priced Erewhon variant, like $12.50 hot sauce or $13 pickled chile peppers ...
Hot sauce.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
... $25 Faroe Island salmon ...
Salmon.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
... or $15 macaroons.
Macaroons.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Not even in Whole Foods would I find such a large selection of bone broths, a diet trend that can help with weight loss and digestive health.
But the main events at Erewhon are the juices and smoothies. I took a photo of one I wanted to recreate at home, the No. 37 Erewhon Liquid Gold.
Erewhon Liquid Gold.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
A 2-ounce bottle of Liquid Gold — a small bottle of ginger, lemon, turmeric, and cayenne — cost $6.50.
More juice shots.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Erewhon is known for its made-to-order selection, but the line was too long, and I already had dinner plans. Unfortunately, my allergies prevented me from trying out its fresh smoothies.
As I left Erewhon, I took note of who was shopping there: people who seemed like they were TikTok influencers mixed with families doing normal grocery shopping.
Cut fruit.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
It certainly felt fancier than the nicest Whole Foods I've been in. It was more akin to a farmstand I visited in East Hampton last summer — a favorite vacation spot for New York's elite.
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