Status Update: Upscale grocer Erewhon coming to Costa Mesa

Erewhon — a trendy Los Angeles grocery store chain made famous (or infamous, depending on your economics) for its expensive offerings — is making its first foray into Orange County.

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The company recently signed a lease at the former T-Shirts Warehouse at 140 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa. It will be neighbors with Bear Flag Fish Co., which is taking over the former Santa Monica Seafood.

The Erewhon website indicates the store will debut in September 2027.

Speculation has run high in recent weeks that the grocery store — with a name that’s an anagram of “nowhere” — was coming to the OC. The Register made several attempts to reach the company to confirm the rumors, to no avail. Erewhon essentially avoids contact with traditional media, instead relying on social media influencers to hype its $22 smoothies and $79 matcha powder.

Shoppers at Erewhon also can spend even more money ($200) for a yearly membership that affords them perks like free smoothies and early access to new items.

So, just how expensive is Erewhon? A single mango is about $7 or $8 for a bell pepper. A dozen organic “nest-laid and hand gathered” eggs are $15. Prepared green beans with mushrooms and cabbage runs $22 a pound or there’s the ready-to-eat, jerk-seasoned chicken for $28 a pound. A Keto-inspired breakfast sandwich is $15.80. A raw “gooey” brownie is $10.

Its move to Orange County comes as Erewhon expands in the region. It recently opened in West Hollywood with another store opening May 20 in Glendale.

The company is capitalizing on a customer following that leans into celebrity influencers. Its Hailey Bieber “Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie” was so popular it reportedly raked in $800,000 a month for Erewhon. The grocer removed Bieber’s name from the smoothie in late 2025, the Los Angeles Times reported. And Kai Trump, granddaughter to the president, gleefully shared on social media that she took her Secret Service detail to an Erewhon store in late March.

Whole Foods opening in Newport Beach

Whole Foods is opening a second store in Newport Beach, claiming the spot occupied by a Ralphs grocery store at Westcliff Plaza.

No timeline for its debut was provided by Irvine Co., the property owner. The company announced earlier this month that the Amazon-owned grocery chain had signed a lease at the shopping center at Westcliff Drive and Irvine Avenue.

The landlord did announce that Ralphs would be exiting the center when its lease expires this fall.

This might end some of the speculation that an Erewhon was coming to Westcliff Plaza.

Address: 1150 Irvine Ave.

Sweetgreen opens at University Center

Sweetgreen UC Irvine opened Tuesday at University Center in Irvine, the second for the company in the city.

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The eatery known for its salads and bowl-style entrees is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Address: 4289 Campus Drive

Longtime bike shop closing

Pure Ride Cycles in Lake Forest is closing.

The cycle shop posted an update on its Instagram post, alerting customers it was shuttering. No timeline was provided for the closure.

“This decision has been extremely difficult, and it reflects not only our own circumstances but the broader challenges facing independent bicycle shops and small businesses across the country,” the post said. “Despite our best efforts, the financial impact ultimately made it impossible for us to continue.”

The owners pointed out how the shop became more than just a place to buy bicycles or have them serviced.

“It was built around creating a family. For over 25 years, this community has shaped us, supported us, and filled our days with purpose. The friendships, the conversations, the shared rides, and the joy that cycling brings are what made this place truly special … Though our doors are closing, the heart of this place lives on in all of you. Thank you for giving us a home, a purpose, and the joy of the ride,” it said.

Most of the bicycles and their parts sold in the United States are made overseas, particularly in China and Taiwan, according to statistics compiled by Statista. The rising electric-bicycle trend is also putting pressure on traditional bicycle sales. E-bikes were just 1% of the market share in 2019 but have since soared to 12.5%, Statista said.

Address: 24844 Muirlands Blvd.

On the move

Super73 in Irvine has expanded its sales team, hiring Todd Schmidt as its director of global sales and Seth Holmes as wholesale manager. Schmidt hails from a number of bicycle-specific companies including Quality Bicycle Products, Wheel & Sprocket and Hayes Bicycle Group. Holmes previously was a manager at The Pro’s Closet. The company founded in 2016 specializes in electric bikes.

Scholarships

My Le, a student at Santa Ana College studying civil and mechanical engineering, is the recipient of a $4,000 scholarship from the Southern California Association of Governments. SCAG’s 15-year-old scholarship program provides financial help to high school and community college students who express an interest in urban planning and public policy as part of their career goals.

Good works

Orange County volunteers, organizations and community leaders came together April 25 for the Think Together, Build Together Kit Build event, assembling summer learning kits for thousands of students across California. In one day, volunteers helped assemble more than 2,000 curriculum kits and book bags. The bags were made possible with $160,000 in donations to cover the costs of the kits. Think Together said the annual event “brings the community together around a shared goal: ensuring students have the tools they need to continue learning and thriving all summer long.”

Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to [email protected]. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.

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