I spent some time recently at the Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa, California, and had the extreme pleasure of trying the GRAV Glass Joints at the source. Filled with mystical varieties of cannabis, the Glass Joints charmed me immediately. Easy to smoke and prefilled, the Glass Joints are “good to go” when a grinder is impractical and a bowl impossible to maneuver given the on the move nature of life. GRAV has done what others failed to do, make a product that is easy to use and truly recyclable. The glass just goes out with your glass. Easy and simple. I love the overall design of the GRAV glassware, and they work for me. The glassware makes smoking cannabis even more fun! I was lucky to ask Dave Daily, the founder of GRAV, five questions about his company and what cannabis represents to him. Enjoy.
Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? When did you first smoke weed? Out of what?
Dave Daily: I’m proudly from Austin, Texas and part of the creative community keeping Austin (and the state) progressive.
Ha, honestly, that’s a hard one to pin down. My first cannabis experience was probably in my parent’s backyard on the deck, where we ran a little barbershop business for all the high school kids who wanted fades. Like everyone, I have some pretty incredible, memorable moments consuming cannabis. That’s how “the ritual of consumption” has become a key phrase said throughout the company. Coincidentally (or maybe not?), I made the first Gravitron on that deck nine years after that first time getting high. I’ll never forget testing it out with my folks, who continue to be GRAV’s (and my) biggest fans. That product was one I spent an enormous amount of time and energy bringing to life. That was a special moment back in ’04 that literally sparked something special: the beginning of GRAV.
WB: Please tell me about your company. What makes you different, therefore, better than your competitors.
DD: We don’t think about the industry in terms of competitors, GRAV recognizes creatives and artists in the glass blowing space. Our products have come to signify something special, which is how we’ve ended up with imaginative shapes, function, and features. There’s truly a product for everyone, and many of our pieces have been in production for over 15 years now. We currently sell over 300 products across all major categories of cannabis accessories, including bongs, rigs, dry pipes, vapes, grinders, and more.
WB: What are your six and twelve-month goals?
DD: Growth is huge for us at the moment, our business, and we’re currently available globally in 25 countries across six continents. From 2019 to 2020, GRAV sales grew over 30%, and we maintained an upward trajectory.
GRAV will always be rooted in Austin, and we’ve been expanding our team the past few months to keep up with projections. It’s a really cool time, and there’s great energy amongst our staff. We’ve had some incredible hires, including our VP of People and Impact, Madison Butler, and our VP of Marketing, Matt Rosenberg. We look forward to welcoming more into the GRAV family and expanding our circle.
WB: What is your favorite food to eat when stoned? Outdoor or indoor weed? From whom?
DD: I’m a burger guy, and I travel, so I can usually find a Shake Shack or In-N-Out.
Cure Company hybrids (indoor) smoked out of GRAV Glass Joints. No question.
WB’s Note on the GRAV Glass Joints: They remind me of Murano glass, that intrinsic quality- and they come pre-loaded (in California) with really amazing cannabis that got me really stoned on very little…
WB: What is your passion?
DD: This is it… I’m living it! Before GRAV, I was on a different career path, but instead of feeling excited, I wasn’t happy with my day-to-day work. I hit a point where I knew I needed to shake things up and go towards a creative path. While immersing myself within the Austin art community, I found this newfound sense of camaraderie and inspiration from my peers that was previously missing. It was this environment that birthed GRAV and this energy that we continue to keep alive in our Austin HQ today.
Warren Bobrow has been a dishwasher, the owner of the first company to make fresh pasta in South Carolina , a television engineer and he even worked at Danceteria in NYC, then a trained chef which led to a twenty year career in private banking. A cannabis, wine and travel aficionado, Warren is a former rum judge and craft spirits national brand ambassador. He works full time in the cannabis business as an alchemist/journalist. Cocktailwhisperer.com Drinkklaus.com Instagram: warrenbobrow http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Bobrow