A new Erewhon competitor just opened in West Hollywood with no marketing or social media. It’s counting on you to post about it
A $20 smoothie and a $19 single strawberry could only belong in one place: Erewhon, the luxury grocery chain and celebrity hotspot in Los Angeles. But as of last week, it’s not the only so-called hypebeast grocer in West Hollywood. Just a few blocks away from one of Erewhon’s various locations, Laurel Supply, a giant market filled with natural light and timber interiors, looks unmistakably like an Erewhon to those passing by. The team behind the venture are the owners of neighboring restaurant Laurel Hardware, meaning they had a deep knowledge of the area before opening, which according to the local newspaper WEHO Times, is years in the making. Laurel Supply launched with no press release or social media, betting instead on two things: its aesthetics and the willingness of curious passersby to post their own content. “An Erewhon dupe just opened right across the street from Erewhon in West Hollywood,” a user said in a video on TikTok. Dozens of similar TikTok videos also flooded the app over the weekend, with Angelenos flocking to compare the new kid on the block. A new front in the fight for high-end shoppers Although shoppers with big enough bank accounts can opt to buy their entire groceries at places like Erewhon, most customers only buy specific products, such as items from the prepared food section or viral snacks. Still, Erewhon does more than break even, which explains why others might want to tap into the luxury grocery space, filled with aspiration and $20 celebrity-branded smoothies. The store, which has more than 10 locations, made $10.6 million just from its Hailey Bieber branded smoothie, which launched in 2022, bringing in around $40,000 to stores a month. And beyond its hero products, the brand made $171.4 million in profit in 2023, as Fast Company previously reported. It’s not just about single products, but rather the lifestyle that Erewhon sells along with it, which is why customers will pay a $200-a-year membership f