Why do people shop at Erewhon?

It's cult-like, and connected to a cult, OP.

$135 for a shopping bag.

Are these cunts out of their motherfucking MIND???!!!

I'm so glad this British guy exposed them.

I watch vlogs to understand the pricing. The shop is overpriced but the vloggers are braindead weirdos.

A reusable shopping bag is neither a necessity nor is it food.

I was curious why the shopping bag is priced at 135 USD, but the bloggers never discuss where the item is made or what it is made of.

The bloggers go there to purchase a 20 USD smoothie named after the wife of a retired teen idol.

Yo,op. I can't watch the video in your post.

He has a speech impediment and a wet sounding voice.

OP google Karl Marx and imaginary appetites.

Either because they are so out of touch and have money to burn that it doesn't matter ("it's one banana, Michael, what could it cost? Ten dollars?"), or because it's a "flex" for aspirational types trying to show off or to convince themselves they can afford it. Most influencers fall into this category.

Branding is important and the high price point is part of this experience. I am looking through the website, they ship internationally. I am not seeing foodfood on their site, snacks, supplements, spices and merch.

No information on the source.

The product is packaged simply which appeals to OCD types who want their pantry items to match!

Now that Whole Foods is no longer an exclusive experience, there is room for this experience.

I have money to burn but would never consider wasting it on a place like that. I shop at Aldi 90% of the time.

That's where the well heeled shop for the food for their yachts, it's not for regular people. Also, it's where TMZ can spot you eating your breakfast bowl of mizuna leaves, camel milk and and Tibetan berries hand picked by Bhutanese monks.

The late River Phoenix used to shop there, apparently. I remember an old, very irreverent profile of him written probably in the late 1980s or early 1990s, where the journalist describes him and his friends sitting around at Erewhon and wanting to make sure the paper they were using to smoke their heroin was bleach-free, "for health and environmental reasons." Very libelous, very nasty, and probably just meant as a satire of Californian health freaks/junkies, but for some reason I always remembered that. (River Phoenix fans: please don't shoot the messenger).

It's just an LA staple that has been there forever. They have some good stuff. But I would never shop there on a regular basis!

A fool and his money, OP.

19.99 for milk.

That tastes like milk.

But the cow sends you a personal thank-you note.

They charge $20 for a gallon of water.

It’s about status and exclusivity. The average Joe can’t afford to shop there. Same reason people go to Equinox

I couldn't care less how much Erewhon costs, but that YouTuber is quite cute - which is the most important thing here.

[quote] Why do people shop at Erewhon?

To avoid long lines.

To avoid the poors.

To pay $135 for a grocery bag.

I don't find the guy in the video attractive at all, for whatever reason... physically, I guess so... perhaps it's his personality🤷🏽‍♂️

I went to Target to have a prescription filled. While waiting for the prescription, I did a browse through the store. A box of cereal? Sugar laden and toxic costs 8 dollars there. Sure you can use coupons and save up your rewards from using a credit card but that is an aside.

Target prices have gone through the roof.

I have never tried because I don't think we have on East Coast. I can't even afford to be in the parking lot. Sob. I thought I was doing something going in Whole Foods.

When I lived in LA, I used to shop at Erewhon I guess you could say regularly, but only for certain items. They had specific oils that I could only find there at the time (when I couldn't wait for online shipping), and some of their pressed juice blends that come in the glass bottles were really unique and delicious. They have the best OJ I have ever tasted, to this day. I definitely was not spending my entire grocery budget there though.

I must be wasteful because I don't put a price on food if I really want it. LOL their smoothies look good!

I'm too frugal when it comes to food to pay so much. I used to be the 'treat yourself' type but then I did the math on monthly spending. When I realized all the savings, bill payments, and clothes that money could have gone to, I set a very strict food budget that forces me to make my own food now and the few times I eat out, I can now afford upscale restaurants.

Do they take food stamps?

I am a spendthrift and even I can't bring myself to pay 20 dollars for a smoothie.

Nowhere Man

I think you should pay what you want for what you want. Erewhon? Looks like hype but if their customers are OK with the pricing, they are doing something right. But a box of cheerios should never cost 8 dollars. The federal minimum wage is 7.25 usd per hour!

Lmao Erewhon is for the wealthy. Too many of you on here want people to think you can afford $15 orange juice and $20 gallon waters. Please just stop.

[quote] Lmao Erewhon is for the wealthy. Too many of you on here want people to think you can afford $15 orange juice and $20 gallon waters.

Oh please, you pretentious Mary.

I can pay $1.79 for a gallon of water at Safeway.

I don't have anything to prove.

And I can put that $20 to much better use.

People will gladly throw away money for status.

That $20 water claims to have been scientifically enhanced. To what end? So people can pay $20 for it and feel special.

Who shops at Erewhon?

People like this....

I pay Erewhon’s prices for Gristedes’ service!

Wherever I've.lived I've always gone out of my way, if need be, to do a good deal of my shopping at one of the.luxury grocery stores. I like the variety, the concentration on food, the elevation of fruits, vegetables, seafood, meats, cheeses, wines, and especially imported goods. It's always been a nicer experience, from the cleanliness and presentation to the staff, the very short lines, even the quality of the paper bags if you buy one.

All that said, I do those things for my own preference, not to show off or mingle or brag. There's a difference in cost but it's usually around 10 or 20% more in the luxury store, and that difference doesn't matter to me. Then there are the things that they offer that the regular stores do not - they're usually not cheap but they're available no where else and that's a key point.

I might go to Erewhon out of curiosity, but in that at those prices I certainly wouldn't load up a huge cart with staples and ordinary stuff. I might return for a few things that are luxuries but not available elsewhere - but not to buy a liter of ordinary milk for $18, $22 whatever the fuck.

I'll pay to find things unavailable elsewhere and to have a nicer shopping experience, but I'm not interested in throwing money away buy the $125 bag full.

Erewhon is "Nowhere" spelled backwards, and I think that tells you everything you need to know about the store.

R36 It’s actually not.

[quote] Erewhon is "Nowhere" spelled backwards, and I think that tells you everything you need to know about the store.

It's an ANAGRAM, it's not backwards.

It’s spelled backwards if you consider the “wh” to be a unit.

R10 they use paper, like rolling paper, to smoke H? No first hand experience but I never heard this,

Shopping at Erewhon is like paying designer prices for groceries - you’ll leave with an empty wallet and a bag of almonds that thinks it's haute couture.

[quote] It's an ANAGRAM, it's not backwards.

All of them witches!

"Erewhon" is an anagram for "nowhere." The name was chosen intentionally by Samuel Butler for his novel "Erewhon," which describes a fictional utopian society.

You all type POOR.

The owners used to have a restaurant in LA called the "Nowhere Cafe". That was in the 80s.

They do have some good stuff. Their home made peanut butter is the best I've ever had.

Is it $50 a jar?

I can almost assure you most of the people (not many) claiming their stuff on here have never even stepped foot inside of one, as most of the people on here aren’t even in LA

R47 It’s not that exclusive, or deep. They have half a dozen locations in SoCal and lots of people shop there. My coworkers love their hot bar, which actually isn’t a huge ripoff. It’s something like $20 for an entree with two sides. I would never do my grocery shopping there, but Erewhon is great for an easy lunch or a healthy juice.

R46, it's $10 but you need to pay a $2 deposit on the Mason Jar. Really/

That guy who runs the Soft White Underbelly youtube channel shops there. That tells me he's making too much money exploiting people.

R48 you’re full of fucking shit.

It’s an LA based grocery chain and only exists in LA. There are 10 of them in LA. And yes, they’re expensive. They aren’t for just anyone to wander in and buy stuff, unless you make good money. They don’t even take EBT so you can’t even claim that.

“People” don’t shop at Erewhon. Rich Hollywood types and social media influencers who get lump sum paychecks do.

R52 exactly. It’s for those making $$$. Not just your average Joe. That’s why the wealthy go there. Or people pretending to be rich putting themselves in debt.

Fuck this place!

In regards to shopping there, do not shop for groceries. You can get almost anything they carry for less money at Whole Foods or the farmers market.

Their prepared food is actually pretty good though. I love getting a salmon combo plate when I want to eat well but am too lazy to cook. Their fresh salads are pretty tasty too.

You know why they call it Erewhon?

Cause it's not for Erewhon.

I like to think that Erewhon was founded by Lucille Bluth and that its pricing system was just her guessing at how much she thought things would cost. Eggs? $16 for a dozen seems about right. Hot sauce? Hmm..$48? shopping bag? I dunno...$45?

I worked at the original Beverly Blvd Erewhon in the mid 1990s. It was a true health food store, most everything in bulk or plain labels. The customers were ALT celebrities, like Lisa Bonet with her white ink neck tattoo and baby girl in the cart jump seat, Crispin Glover, etc. It was across the street from Madonna's office. The only other health food store around was Ms.Gooches in Bev Hills.

I'm kind of curious to try it but I doubt I will. It's not the prices as much as the lines. Oprah doesn't do stairs and gurl, I don't do lines.

r56 that sounds like a Teacake joke.

R59 They’re on Uber Eats. I’m embarrassed to admit I order dinner from them twice a week. Their chicken pot pie ($18) is the best in LA. And their coconut cake ($13 for a slice) is the best I’ve ever had.

If you treat it like a splurge meal, or a last resort for a special item, it is what it is. It seems like every large enough metro has a store like this. Maybe not the same prices or caliber of offerings, but it’s a place you wouldn’t get your day to day items.

R62 Precisely. People with a lot of discretionary cash like elite environments. As in no riffraff. They also like to be around others who have a lot of discretionary cash. It’s not rocket science.

Erewhon makes sense when you stop viewing it as a grocery store. Case in point, their produce section is minuscule. The bulk of erewhon purchases are their prepared food, which have the same ingredient quality as mid-high restaurants without the time commitment of dining in or the fees+tip, and in one off rare stuff that you don't find anywhere else and splurge on to try once. Erewhon wouldn't stay afloat simply being the grocery store for the rich.

So its basically a store that offers you high-end grab and go lunch and farmers market random finds that are cool.

Very good place for celebrity sightings, especially the Venice location.

LA is full of normal people just living their lives. It’s also full of rich people. It also has a very large (and outsized) population of people who want to appear fancy and rich. Us plebs aren’t going to waste our time and money at Erewhon, but the other two groups definitely can and do.

Posts like these are what fuel the fire. Either shop there or don't. No one cares.

Is it the grocery store version of Moon Juice? Sounds like it.

So, do they take EBT there?

A lot of young LA girls spend literally all of their money on shit like mushroom coffee and Erewhon. All the makeup in the world and whatever the latest trendy handbag is.

Then you go to their apartment and the mattress is on the floor with a literal shoe box as a nightstand.

Source: I worked with these women and that's how they live.

It's not the money you can see that denotes wealth.

That pretty much describes a lot of young women in big cities, R79. Instagrammable things and moments are far more important than the actual life. That's how you build your "brand."

R70, not R79.

Why is it spelled Erewhon rather than Erehwon? (Nowhere, backwards).

R73, Erewhon is spelled this way as a playful and intentional twist by Samuel Butler. He chose this spelling to disguise the fact that it's "nowhere", creating a sense of mystery and intrigue around the fictional society in the novel. The slight variation in spelling helps it stand out and adds to the novel's theme of exploring an imaginary, idealized place.

.20 per bag

Beef stew at high prices and the beef is fatty

They pad the combo meals

No place to eat inside

No cash back

I see their employees shopping at Trader Joe's

R74 Thanks

Call me an elitist, but I don't mind paying higher prices for a better experience. And by a better experience, I mean no crying babies, no people wearing pajamas and bags on their heads, no crappy shoes, no yelling, no child abuse in the aisles, no police at the front end of the story, no products behind locked cases. If I have to pay $20 for a head of lettuce, then so be it.

R77 Hi Gwyneth.

R77 you can’t bring infants in that store?

Oh please, I have seen crying babies in that store, you dont think elitist have kids? Their actually worse.

[quote] A lot of young LA girls spend literally all of their money on shit like mushroom coffee and Erewhon. All the makeup in the world and whatever the latest trendy handbag is.

[quote] Then you go to their apartment and the mattress is on the floor with a literal shoe box as a nightstand.

That's how I got MY start!

R77 is fucking delusional.

And an asshole.

Rumor has it that Erewhon is opening a location in NYC next year.

R77 Erewhon has ALL of that.

I admit the food is good. or CAN be good.

I got the salmon there once and it said WILD; and on my receipt it said 'WILD' in quotes; I asked a manager why is this in quotes?

They said they'd look into it and never got back to me.

The next time I asked a deli worker what kind of salmon is that? she took a pause and said...."broiled."

I asked farm broiled or wild broiled.

"Farm."

Pass.

The Whole Foods in my town is way too crowded. Even when I tried to go early in the morning, it was crowded. Maybe that's why people go to this store. Less crowded.

At firstit was called Not-there, when it started in Lennox. It took off only after they opened a branch in Lawndale, where the locals got the joke re the current name.

[quote]I got the salmon there once and it said WILD; and on my receipt it said 'WILD' in quotes; I asked a manager why is this in quotes?

I bet when you order the Filet O Fish at McDonald's, you ask when the fish was caught.

[quote] Their actually worse.

Oh, dear.....

R51 They do accept EBT at Erewhon. but one would obviously be very foolish to use it there.

Part of the pleasure of dining at the Nowhere Cafe is in all the puns that naturally come up when you’re going . . . well, Nowhere. Where shall we eat? . . . Where did you go out to dinner last night? . . . Where can you get a great three-polenta terrine?

Recently, Nowhere has gone through some changes. When the health-food supermarket Erewhon moved to a new location a few blocks to the east of its original Beverly Boulevard corner, it left the Nowhere Cafe behind in the hands of new owners who promptly brought in a new chef, Brian Houde, formerly of Spago.

The new Nowhere is clean and bright and filled with New Age art, that is, an assortment of objects and canvases encrusted with various thicknesses of crystals. You can also make your own art: There’s a glass filled with crayons on each paper-topped table.

The waitresses, who wear tunics made from indigo Guatemalan fabric, are fresh-faced and calm. The clientele is fit, attractive and young-looking; no one in the place looks older than 50.

Because whore is in the letters

The video star smuggled produce from the UK into the US 🚫

Haha R92.

Good catch!!!

Someone report him to US Customs and the US Department of Agriculture.

He'll be banned from entering the country in the future.

Or he faked it.

Where?

“Us plebs?”

There is a resin y’all always will be that pleb…

[quote] Call me an elitist, but I don't mind paying higher prices for a better experience. And by a better experience, I mean no crying babies, no people wearing pajamas and bags on their heads, no crappy shoes, no yelling, no child abuse in the aisles, no police at the front end of the story, no products behind locked cases. If I have to pay $20 for a head of lettuce, then so be it.

I don;t see any of that in my local markets. Benefits of suburbia, I guess.

When I lived in Jersey City, I used to avoid the one store that was accessible by public transportation because it was crowded and people were on edge. Another market was close to the hood. They wouldn’t let you rake a shopping cart out of the store. You had to carry your bags to your car.

[quote] Good catch!!!

He mentioned it in the video.

How did he keep the milk fresh?

I didn't realize they have a location in Pasadena now. It's in the former I. Magnin building on Lake Ave.

Well girls, I did it. I ordered delivery from Erewhon (curry chicken sandwich on raisin bread, and a slice of carrot cake) and… I loved it. Does this make me an insufferable influencer?

It makes you an arsehole in some places, and an asshole in other places.

As noted above, try their chicken pot pie. It's surprisingly affordable from their hot bar.

Do they carry unicorn milk?

R100 I hope you recorded it for TikTok.

🎵 chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot pie 🎵

My favorite thing about their chicken pot pie is that it doesn’t include mushrooms (I hate a fungus). And it’s CREAMY.

It looks like an interesting place to go in and look around. Can I bring my Aldi bag?

the brisket is fatty and they have no qualms about plopping down a big fatty piece of meet and it's overpriced.

One scoop of rice does not mean 2 1/2.

watch the combo plates; you're better off going a la carte with smaller portions. There's a minimum on the weight scale. I got a small scoop of rice once and the clerk said it's too little; the scale doesn't acknowledge it.

Asking Erewhon Shoppers What They Do For a Living

Because they’re idiots who can’t think for themselves and they want to feel cool.

People shop here so they won't have to deal with black people. The same reason people buy 1st class tickets on trains.

the food is good; I buy milk there and it stays fresh till after the sell by date; I can't say the same for other stories.

But it's just too damn much.

What’s 500 dollars a week for groceries?

Erewhynot?