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New grocer called Laurel Supply in West Hollywood is makin' some big waves in LA as it aims to give Erewhon a run for its money at luxe end of grocery biz, offering its $16 smoothies in even more elevated surroundings that riff off rep of that co's popular Laurel Hardware, Laurel Grill and Ysabel restaurant hot spots. "After more than a year of construction, Laurel Supply quietly opened on May 8 without so much as a formal announcement or even a website," Eater reported earlier this mo. (Store still doesn't have a website, as far as we can tell.) "But among the Erewhon devotees (who may soon have a test of loyalty) and the Alo-clad West Hollywood crowd, word has spread quickly." It describes setting this way: "From the outside, Laurel Supply resembles something between Nobu and an alien spaceship, all sharp edges with wood fins jutting out of the slanted roof. Inside the light-filled, blonde-wood interior, manicured shelves of kombucha, Siete sauces, specialty mustard and small-batch granola stretch in all directions." Here's LA Mag's take: "In this age of hyper-luxury markets, Laurel Supply may have out-Erewhoned Erewhon." That's sayin' somethin'! Nearest Erewhon grocery is about half a mile away. Laurel Supply sits right next door to Hollywood institution Barney's Beanery.The store housed in long-deserted mid-century structure once operated by Ritts Co maker of rattan furniture (owner's son was famed Hollywood photog Herb Ritts) seems to have prompted lotsa admiration along with fair dose of skepticism that LA needs yet another luxury shopping destination. "A bougier Erewhon?" wondered Snaxshot's Andrea Hernandez. "From $18 orange juices to incredible high beams and cleaner wider aisles, and a literal live olive tree inside&mdash;this grocer feels a lot more majestic. It reminds me of La Grande Epicerie in Paris, and I'm wondering if this ultimately will become the new blueprint for luxe grocers across the US!" Among comments her post drew, one marveled that it "feels like grocery shopping in Restoration Hardware and I love it," but others offered a bit of snark: "Making groceries for the K-shaped economy" and "I mean&hellip;it's beautiful! So beautiful! But the timing feels off and definitely targeting the tone deaf elite. America cannot afford luxe right now." On Reddit thread, one commenter assessed, "nearly everything they sell at Laurel Supply is just Whole Foods 365 brand, repackaged then marked up substantially."At center of store is inevitable coffee/smoothie bar. "Smoothies cost between $14 and $16 and include options such as the Heavenly So, a blend of almond milk, strawberries, banana, raspberries, collagen and hyaluronic acid, and the Post Workout, which uses almond milk, banana, cacao powder, lion's mane, maca and whey protein. Juices &mdash; which range from $12 to $14 &mdash; include the Foundation with apple, kale, celery, cucumber, lime and parsley, and the Morning Light with strawberry, apple, orange and lime," per Eater."While Erewhon takes a distinctly sleek-meets-granola approach, recruiting celebrities to lend their names to smoothies and selling single strawberries for $19, Laurel Supply leans into quiet luxury with an aesthetic that looks more like a sauna-driven retreat than a grocery store," albeit with similarly "comically high" prices. As LA Mag observed, "Nobody is surprised that a gallon of milk here can cost $20, a pint of orange juice is $18 and a tube of Saint Jane lip balm sells for $28."Bev set? HiTouch Libations principal Czar Daniolco told us it's still a work in progress, tho his initial order from store included likes of Pop & Bottle, Koia, Copra coconut water, refrigerated Zico entry and coincidentally named Laurel's coffee/tea brand, with new store hightly recepttive to glass-bottle brands, just like Erewhon. He joked that buyer there who'd previously worked at Erewhon and Mother's had reached out about 4 mos ago via distrib's contact portal and set it up as vendor "before I knew how cool they are."For extended visual tour of store, check out Instagram post by food commenter who goes by Ricklox with 184K followers. But he draws harsh conclusion, saying it's no more than an "Erewhon dupe."

RETAIL: Laurel Supply Creates Waves from West Hollywood as It Tries to 'Out-Erewhon Erewhon' in Offering Luxe Grocery Shopping Experience, at $20 per Gallon of Milk

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