The Grocery Issue
Where kale meets culture.
Today I’m back with something that’s been taking over my saved folders and recent conversations: the rise of the grocery store as a cultural moment.
From Humanrace’s pop-up during Milan Design Week in a tiny local grocery shop, to New York’s hotspot Happier Grocery—it feels like grocery shopping has officially crossed into lifestyle territory. It’s not just about what you buy; it’s about where you’re seen, what you’re signaling, and the world you’re curating around yourself.
Grocery stores have always said something about who we are, but now that story is louder, more aesthetic, and way more intentional. And it's not just happening IRL—the grocery theme has been spilling into the creative world for a while now (or at least for my knowing since Karl Lagerfeld’s 2014 Chanel show), inspiring campaigns, editorials, and brand visuals. Shopping carts, cereal aisles, shiny produce—they're being reimagined as a stage for storytelling about authenticity and taste.
Right now, the coolest place to be isn’t a concept store or gallery—it’s the local grocery store. But not just any store. Think Humanrace’s pop-up nestled inside a family-run Milanese corner shop. Or the “bodega-but-better” aesthetic of Happier Grocery in New York, where you can pick up anything organic, adaptogenic, and photo-ready corners make it hard to leave.
This whole thing isn’t new, but it’s definitely having a moment. Spots like Erewhon in L.A. have turned grocery errands into personal branding runs. As Vogue Business put it, Erewhon isn’t just a store, it’s a scene. It’s less about food and more about a mindset: wellness, status, taste. The smoothie bar is basically a runway, the cart an edit of who you want to be.
Happier Grocery plays a different game with the same rules. It’s community-centered but also highly curated, with nostalgic bodega aesthetics, clean branding, and shelves styled like a magazine spread. Walking into Happier Grocery says something about who you are, how you live, and what you value.
So is it a trend? Kind of—but grocery stores have always carried a little bit of status. What’s changed is how out-loud and curated it’s all become, with TikTok tours, branded totes, and limited-edition collabs.
loved this one! 🍒