West Hollywood rolled out the green carpet Wednesday as hundreds of health-obsessed Angelenos lined up for three hours for the opening of the latest Erewhon
The new space for the upscale grocer is within a store that previously housed a Sprouts Farmers Market.
The buzzy opening comes despite California’s cost of living crisis, which has left Angelenos squeezed by by skyrocketing housing costs that has seen them flee to other states in record numbers.
But the the crowds didn’t seem concerned, and were particularly eager to collect one of the store’s limited edition $150 branded tote bags or the striking $170 hooded sweatshirts.
Wellness devotees and die-hard fans waited for three hours outside the store on Santa Monica Boulevard eager to snag limited-edition merch before it sold out – all while posing for selfies with the new $22 coffee-based smoothie that’s also exclusive to the West Hollywood location.
The store was also offering premium gift bags to members who spend $200 or more on the opening days.
Membership itself comes with a hefty price tag of $200 annually, adding another layer of exclusivity.
“My mom and I got here at 6 a.m. for the gift bag,” Los Angeles resident Dr. Sharine Forbes told the California Post. Premium swag bags were given out to Erewhon members who spent $200 that morning.
The 11th store marks the latest expansion for the cult-favorite market known for its celebrity smoothie collaborations, pristine produce displays and eye-popping price tags.
Staff handed out samples and greeted shoppers as a steady stream of customers poured through the doors the moment they opened at 9 a.m.
The stark contrast between Erewhon’s opulent offerings and the economic realities of many Angelenos was on full display as the crowd scrambled to get their hands on 30oz, $24 bone broth soups that come in specially embossed glass Erewhon-branded mason jars.
“I’m a New Yorker, but one of the biggest perks of living in LA is Erewhon,” Zarna Mahen Joshi told the Post.
“If they’re going to do a grand opening, I’m going to be here.”
Unique to the location, there is a refrigerated case of flowers arranged in curated, boutique-style bouquets with soft, spring forward palettes by LATEP Studio.
In a nod to modern convenience, the store also features two in-store kiosks where customers can place orders for pickup — a move designed to streamline the shopping experience for the always-on-the-go WeHo crowd.
Exclusive grand-opening merchandise, including branded sweatshirts and tote bags, were created just for the launch.
An influencer documented the contents of the coveted gift bag on TikTok, of which she got two of, after spending more than $1,000 there on Wednesday morning.
The luxe goody bag included a $27 Innersense travel sized hair products, $12 Carbone pasta sauce, $11 Davids toothpaste, $10 tempeh chips and $52 Osea body oil.
Still, the priciest item was the limited-edition tote itself, emblazoned with the WeHo address. Similar bags from other Erewhon stores cost $143.
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