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Whole Foods Market licensed at 5420 W Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles

Whole Foods Market licensed at 5420 W Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles

Built World Los Angeles, CA local

California ABC issues off-sale license for a Whole Foods planned in a mixed-use development at the former Food 4 Less site.

4 days ago: Whole Foods licensed at 5420 W Sunset Blvd

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Whole Foods Market now holds a California liquor license for a planned store at 5420 W Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles. The license, issued November 6, 2026, allows off-sale beer, wine, and spirits at the address.

The store is planned as the anchor tenant of a 735-unit mixed-use development. The site was previously home to a Food 4 Less that closed in 2021.

Why it matters

The license is for a Whole Foods planned as the anchor of a 735-unit East Hollywood development, an area without a major supermarket since 2021.

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Key Indicators

735
Apartments in development
The mixed-use project at 5420 Sunset Blvd includes 735 residential units.
1
Liquor license issued
California ABC issued one off-sale license to Whole Foods at this address.
1,400
Parking spaces
The development includes parking for 1,400 vehicles.

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Organizations Involved

Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market
Grocery chain
License holder for planned store at 5420 W Sunset Blvd

Upscale grocery chain owned by Amazon.
MR
MRS GOOCHS NATURAL FOOD MARKETS INC
Corporate entity
License holder on California ABC record

The legal entity that holds the California liquor license for Whole Foods at 5420 W Sunset Blvd.
AC
American Commercial Equities
Real estate developer
Developer of 5420 Sunset Blvd project

The developer behind the mixed-use project at 5420 Sunset Blvd.
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
State regulatory agency
Issued the license

The California agency that regulates alcoholic beverage licenses.

Timeline

2021 November 2026

4 events Latest: 4 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Whole Foods licensed at 5420 W Sunset Blvd

    Latest License

    The California ABC issued an off-sale general license to MRS GOOCHS NATURAL FOOD MARKETS INC for the address.

  2. 5420 Sunset Blvd development nears exterior completion

    Construction

    The mixed-use complex's exterior was nearing completion, with Whole Foods planned for the ground floor.

  3. Whole Foods signs lease for East Hollywood store

    Lease

    Whole Foods agreed to open a 60,000-square-foot market at the 5420 Sunset Blvd development.

  4. Food 4 Less closes at 5420 Sunset Blvd

    Closure

    The budget supermarket closed, leaving East Hollywood without a major grocery store.

Scenarios

1

Whole Foods opens East Hollywood store in 2027

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The Eastsider reported in 2025 that the store was expected to open the following year.

Construction is well advanced, and the liquor license is in hand. If interior build-out proceeds on schedule, Whole Foods could open its doors at 5420 Sunset Blvd in 2027.

2

Whole Foods opening slips to 2028 or later

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Urbanize LA noted the project's exterior was nearing completion in 2026, but interior work and tenant build-outs can take additional time.

Large mixed-use projects often face delays in interior construction, inspections, or tenant improvements. A slip past 2027 would push the opening to 2028 or later.

3

Whole Foods withdraws from 5420 Sunset Blvd project

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The Eastsider reported a signed lease, making withdrawal unlikely.

Whole Foods has a signed lease and a liquor license for the site. A withdrawal would require the company to break its lease and forfeit the license, a costly move.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2013

Whole Foods opens in Detroit's Midtown (2013)

Whole Foods opened a 21,000-square-foot store in Midtown Detroit, a neighborhood that had lacked a national grocery chain for decades. The store was part of a broader revitalization effort.

Then

The store was welcomed for improving food access but criticized for high prices.

Now

It became a symbol of gentrification in Detroit, and similar debates followed other upscale grocers entering low-income areas.

Why this matters now

The 5420 Sunset Blvd project similarly replaces a budget supermarket with a premium grocer in a gentrifying neighborhood.

2016

Whole Foods opens in Englewood, Chicago (2016)

Whole Foods opened a store in Englewood, a low-income, predominantly Black neighborhood in Chicago that had been a food desert. The store was part of a city effort to attract grocers.

Then

The store was celebrated for bringing healthy food to the area but faced criticism over affordability.

Now

It remained open but did not end food access challenges in the neighborhood.

Why this matters now

Shows the mixed record of premium grocers in underserved areas, similar to East Hollywood's situation.

Sources

(3)
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control The Eastsider LA Urbanize LA