Glendale’s long-awaited Erewhon has finally arrived. The upscale grocer officially opened its Glendale market on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, turning the long-vacant Virgil’s Hardware building into a glossy, wellness-focused store. The company kicked off the 9 a.m. grand opening with complimentary gift bags and fresh flowers for early customers, while showing off its cafe, tonic bar and an indoor-outdoor patio built for dining and lingering.
The market sits at 520 N. Glendale Avenue in downtown Glendale, according to the City of Glendale, which notes that the new location brings Erewhon’s mix of organic groceries and prepared foods to the neighborhood. The city’s announcement also laid out opening-day details and urged shoppers to brace for heavier foot traffic around the Americana corridor during the first weekend rush.
Co-owners Josephine Antoci and her husband Tony, who bought Erewhon in 2011, said the Glendale market was “designed to reflect the spirit of the neighborhood while creating a welcoming space to gather centered around wellness and connection,” in a statement published by the Los Angeles Times. The paper also pointed out that the property once housed Virgil’s Hardware, a Glendale staple that opened in 1932 and closed in 2019.
What’s Inside the Glendale Store
Erewhon’s locations page lists 520 N. Glendale Ave and underscores the brand’s focus on organic produce, chef-driven prepared foods and community-minded features like a cafe and tonic bar. The company positions Glendale among its Southern California markets and says the store will carry Erewhon’s signature prepared meals, specialty groceries and a curated apparel selection.
Expansion and the Bigger Picture
The Antocis have leaned on real-estate deals and a centralized kitchen in Vernon to scale Erewhon’s cafe-forward model across Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal. Erewhon now sits among a growing roster of Southern California locations and has more openings on deck, including a Thousand Oaks store planned for August and additional sites in Costa Mesa and downtown Los Angeles in 2027, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Neighborhood reaction will likely be split. Some residents are happy to see a long-empty landmark revived and welcome the promise of new jobs. Others are already wary of more congestion and Erewhon’s famously steep prices. tracked the supermarket’s plans and will continue following how the new store reshapes downtown retail and foot traffic as it settles into the neighborhood.
