Erewhon Snaps Up Former Virgil’s Hardware in Glendale for 11th Location

The City of Glendale said that Erewhon, the upscale organic market and café with 10 locations across Southern California, has purchased the former Virgil’s Hardware Home Center located at 520 N. Glendale Ave. Erewhon plans to open its 11th location there in approximately 18 months, occupying 18,000 of the vacant property’s 24,000 square feet and leasing the remainder to complementary tenants.

The Erewhon development team worked closely with Glendale’s Economic Development Division throughout the site selection process. The retailer was drawn to the vacant building for its historic roots and strategic position in the San Fernando Valley.

“We are thrilled to have Erewhon in Glendale,” said Glendale Director of Community Development Bradley Calvert. “It will be a fantastic addition to our city, as the market is a powerhouse for health and wellness with its organic food options and chef-inspired café.”

The Virgil’s site has a long history in Glendale, operating in the city since 1932. It offered everything from eggs to 50-year-old doorknobs, setting it apart from larger chain hardware stores. The store closed in 2019 and has remained vacant since then.

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About Paul Bubny

Paul Bubny serves as Senior Content Director for Connect Commercial Real Estate, a role to which he brings 16-plus years’ experience covering the commercial real estate industry and 30-plus years in business-to-business journalism. In this capacity, he oversees daily operations while also reporting on both local/regional markets and national trends, covering individual transactions across all property types, as well as delving into broader subject matter. He produces 7-10 daily news stories per day and works with the Connect team and clients to develop longer-form content, ranging from Q&As to thought-leadership pieces. Prior to joining Connect, Paul was Managing Editor for both Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com at American Lawyer Media, where he oversaw operations at both publications while also producing daily news and feature-length articles. His tenure in B2B publishing stretches back into the print era, and he has served as Editor in Chief on four national trade publications. Since 1999, Paul has volunteered as the newsletter editor of passenger rail advocacy groups (one national, one local).

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