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GETTING GRANULAR IN FIVE QUESTIONS WITH RYAN CRANDALL OF MARIMED

yan Crandall is the chief revenue officer of MariMed Inc. and co-creator of Betty’s Eddies, one of the brands in MariMed’s portfolio. A top seller in all the markets where it’s available, Betty’s Eddies is a brand of all-natural, cannabis-infused fruit chews celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Now? What drew you to infused foods? Why cannabis?

Ryan Crandall: I was born and raised in Massachusetts. I’m originally from southeastern Massachusetts and currently live in the Boston suburb of Foxborough with my wife, two children, and more animals than you have space to list. I’ve always been a cannabis user and a proponent of its medicinal benefits, but I’m a foodie at heart. I am constantly inspired and intrigued by new dishes, restaurants – you name it. I first started to merge cannabis and food together in my kitchen when I discovered how much better I was sleeping after incorporating an infused edible into my bedtime routine. I am fascinated by all things science, especially when it comes to biology, evolution, and plants. So, I was intrigued to learn all I could about cannabis. I figured if it could help me sleep better by understanding the plant’s origin and all of its elements, there were bound to be additional ways I could incorporate it as a natural remedy for other areas of my health and wellness. That’s what initially led to the creation of Betty’s Eddies with some friends.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about your company. What are you known for? What are you working on now?

Ryan Crandall: MariMed is a multi-state cannabis operator that is dedicated to improving people’s lives every day through our high-quality products, actions, and values. We develop, own, and manage seed-to-sale, state-licensed cannabis facilities, which are models of excellence in horticultural principles, cannabis cultivation, cannabis-infused products, and dispensary operations. We currently have full seed-to-store operations in Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, and Delaware, a dispensary in Ohio, and partnerships for brand distribution in Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. We are perhaps best known for our best-in-class brands, which include Betty’s Eddies, Bubby’s Baked, Vibations, and Nature’s Heritage. Each brand is reputable in their respective categories for their high quality. We take great pride in our approach to innovation and creating the best products consumers can buy. Our benchmark is that our edibles should be so delicious that non-infused versions would see well in better grocery stores. We’re constantly pushing ourselves to improve our products as well. For example, Betty’s Eddies has always been a strong seller, but we improved the line last year by being one of the first brands in the industry to add in supplements and other minor cannabinoids to further elevate their efficacy, onset, taste, and consistency. Consumer response was off the hook. We’re about to do the same with our Vibations brand, a great-selling cannabis drink mix that we’ve improved to deliver even better taste plus advanced hydration, a boost of energy, and a quicker onset.

cannabis world news consumer education edibles recipes photo of Ryan Crandall of MariMed

Warren Bobrow: What are your six- and twelve-month goals? Obstacles? How do you anticipate removing them?

Ryan Crandall: Our mantra for 2024 is to LEAD the industry in every way we can! We want to be one of the top contenders, hopefully, number one, in each of the categories our brands participate in. Of course, there are always obstacles, but one that is fairly constant is the state-by-state regulations we must follow in the industry and how unexpected and often they can change. Those changes result in timeline shifts for our operations teams, our financial planners, our marketing team…really everyone. You always have to have your finger on the pulse of potential changes, new entrants, federal and local regulations….the list goes on. But in order to stay on top and truly lead, you have to stay alert, anticipate change, and be nimble enough to pivot on a dime when necessary. We take great pride in our ability to adapt as necessary in this crazy industry and overcome any potential wrench that gets thrown our way.

Warren Bobrow: Do you work with food scientists or chefs? Who is your mentor or inspiration?

Ryan Crandall: Yes, we work with a talented, dedicated, and highly educated team of food scientists on the formulation of each of our respective brands, including Betty’s Eddies. When it comes to a mentor as it relates to a brand, Ben and Jerry’s is the one that resonates with me most. Even from their early days, from their branding and visual aesthetic to the artwork, packaging, and unique naming of products was something I found iconic. They truly had a flavor that could relate to any potential consumer, and that was something that really struck me. They created an ice cream brand that made consumers feel relatable. When it comes to a person who inspires me, it’s Steve Jobs, specifically for his unique approach to innovation and the technical genius empire he is responsible for.

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Ryan Crandall: It’s simple; I like to help people. Fun fact about me: I originally wanted to be a doctor, and never in my dreams did I envision working in an industry that hears from patients who have turned to different Betty’s Eddies varieties to help with ailments. I’ve spoken with cancer patients, people going through grief, people who struggle with sleep and anxiety – the list goes on – and hearing how something I have put my soul into creating is making their days slightly better makes all of this worth it.

Photo Credits: Courtesy of MariMed, Inc. 

https://skunkglobalmarijuanaculture.com/cannabis-world-news/consumer-education/edibles-recipes/getting-granular-in-five-questions-with-ryan-crandall-of-marimed/

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Interviews Podcasts

Warren Bobrow: Bestselling Author & Cocktail Whisperer Reveals the Secret Ingredient for Crafting Cannabis Beverages

https://the-dime-177afd40.simplecast.com/episodes/warren-bobrow-bestselling-author-cocktail-whisperer-reveals-the-secret-ingredient-for-crafting-cannabis-beverages

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5 Questions Articles Interviews Reviews Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

ONLY BRILLIANCE FROM BIG ED: TASTING NOTES AND FIVE QUESTIONS

Mutual friends, (Down to Fade) introduced me to Big Ed by laying a “mylar” of his magical flowers on me over the fourth of July weekend. I opened the packet up and the terpenes burst into my workroom, filling the air with spices and smiles. This wasn’t your typical NYC/Washington Square Street weed; it was something much more sophisticated and exhilarating. Something that caught me unaware and therefore tasting notes were certainly in order. Some really fine smoke here which immediately took me down a rabbit-hole. Similar to Big Ed, my tolerance levels deserve a tolerance break, maybe someday down the line… But the sample of GottiGirl is definitely calling my name.

cannabis world news product reviews promos closeup of crystal laden bud

Tasting Notes for GottiGirl, by: Warren Bobrow

Appearance: Sitting in front of me, I have a little nug of the GottiGirl. The curing is gorgeous. Moist and compact, colorful, and tinged with fluorescent green splashes and orange threads. Crystalline in nature, the oils from the flower ooze to the surface in tightly wound rivulets of black to bright green. Diamonds of resin capture my imagination and bring me a knowing smile. Sure, I have a really high tolerance, but GottiGirl smashed that one out of the park. This is definitely cannabis for the well “seasoned” smoker. Something that you can smell all over the backyard, even on a windy day. Wow. Impressive.

Nose: Spicy notes of cardamom bitters, brown butter-soaked hoecakes, caramelized quince and snippets of tarragon scattered over the top.

Palate: This is perfectly geared to my wine conscious palate with richly textured smoke that fills my mouth with droplets of Barrell Bourbon, a quality, not quantity-like alacrity.

Finish/Stone: Because of the masterful curing, I’m not compelled to cough, not even a tiny bit, nice work. Part of this is the pipe that I selected for the tasting. A 503 Liberty glass piece that has special meaning for me because the former owner is now gone and it gives off beautiful, healing energy of times past. I think it is important to resonate with glass smoking implements. Especially ones with so much craftsmanship, just like the craft cannabis held within.

GottiGirl works her magic through the implementation of vitality and passion.

cannabis world news product reviews promos closeup of silver green bud

Tasting Notes for GaryPayton x FishScale

Nose: David Austin old garden roses, dew-drop,peach scented with beads of sweet cream and Jersey “late-summer” corn pudding. Crushed peppercorn, Incendiary Thai chilies, orange zest and brown butter come into view. Snipped field grass in the back of my throat. Good stuff!

Palate: Texture of freshly turned loam, sod grass, husked corn and droplets of kerosene and hot, synthetic motor oil. (In a good way). Each hit is met, not with resistance- but with calm acceptance of your fate. And that would be the desire to take another, and then another. Similar to the art of drinking a Ti Punch. A vexing amalgamation of Rum, Demerara sugar, and lime. It’s all in there. I taste it still. And I haven’t had a drink in five years.

Finish/Stone: There I go again, down the rabbit hole. With Instagram next to me on my phone, it’s only the pang of hunger that says get back to work and finish these tasting notes. The finish is gassy on the nose, and it jumps like a gazelle across my whatever is left of my mind like your expensive fishpond koi attempting an escape from that errant, hungry racoon. Cannabis like this is the good stuff and great fun for my mind. It stimulates intellectualism and makes me want to reinvent the lightbulb. Ok, maybe not the lightbulb, but it’s been a long time (ok, about a week) since I’ve had so much fun writing!

Thank you, Big Ed, for the inspiration.

cannabis world news product reviews promos Big Smoked logo with bulldog smoking blunt

Warren: Please tell me about your relationship with the plant? When did you discover it? Who were you with? What strain?

Big Ed: I first tried cannabis in 1991 I was 11years old at the time. Cannabis being smoke around me was normal. My older cousin who was 21 at the time let me hit his joint. Back then most of the cannabis around was Mexican brick weed.

Warren: When you smoke, what is your favorite strain? Why?

Big Ed: Right now, my favorite strain is GottiGirl. I like it because I hunted through about 60 seeds to find it, and from the first time I smoked it until now it still tastes the same and have the same effects. My tolerance levels are sky high, so I usually know by the second pull if it’s a keeper. It’s a cross of BlueGotti (by Backpack Boys) x SHORTiER by FrostyMcNosty & Miracop. I believe SHORTiER is a LemonTree and Gelato cross he said. It also tested at 29% THC and 5% terpenes. Any tips I can give is if you have the space, and you want to find the best of the best you’ll have to run the whole pack of seeds. Also, patience I have discarded more plants than I have kept looking for a unicorn.

Warren: What makes your product different, therefore better? Do you admire the work of others? Who?

Big Ed: I believe my love for the plant makes my product better. A lot of people get into cannabis for money. I actually love this plant and want to share my love of it with the world. The best way to do that is produce high quality flower. I also realized that fresh cannabis is the best cannabis. I had a grower tell me cannabis is not like wine it doesn’t get better with age, and then he gave me some flower that he just finished curing and that was my first time smoking fresh cannabis. It was a game changer I was like damn so this what I’ve been missing. So, my goal is to give people the freshest cannabis possible. I admire Frosty McNosty he’s a real down to earth guy, and he really looked out for me when he asked me to test some seeds for him. That how I found GottiGirl. I also want to give credit to Dave the head grower at LOWD in Portland Oregon. He was the one who told me about Cannabis not being like wine and most people smoke old cannabis. He also really lit the spark for me to grow. He told me to go for it if it was something I was serious about.

Warren: What are your six and twelve-month goals?

Big Ed: My 6-month goal is to finish up this pheno hunt I’m doing it’s another 60 seed hunt I’m doing for MiraCrop. I also have some crosses I made I’m growing out now. Hopefully I can find something nice for the 2024. Over the next 12 months I hope to expand my grow and network more with like-minded individuals who care about quality and care giving, over quantity and profit.

Warren: What is your passion?

Big Ed: Growing and sharing cannabis is my passion. The look on a person face when you give them some top-quality cannabis and their reaction is priceless. This plant been a part of my life for over 30 years. Cannabis was used to bring people together, and to this day it still does. I have met people I would probably have never talked to over a joint or bong rip. When I think of cannabis, I think of the hippies in the 60’s & 70’s and how they were preaching peace, love, & happiness. That’s what I want to bring back to the cannabis industry. I just recently left the teaching field after 15 years to concentrate on building my brand and growing cannabis. It was a tough decision, but I felt if I didn’t try, I would regret it. I also know when I lock in on something I’m focused and with my 30 years of smoking, selling, & just being around cannabis I could do it. I read my first High Times magazine when I was 12 my uncle had a subscription. I was enamored by the photos and the articles about cannabis. When I was in college that was when my taste buds and standards changed for the cannabis, I smoked. It was a lot more indoor flower available and Purple Haze, Sour Diesel, and Blueberry was heavy on the east coast early 2000’s it was costly but worth it. I started growing during the pandemic. I was working from home, and felt I had the time to do it. My state also was about to come online with decriminalizing marijuana. It was like the stars were getting aligned for me to grow. Once I started, I was hooked (on growing). I started off with one tent and now 8 tents later I still want more!!!

Photo with 503 Liberty Pipe: Warren Bobrow
All other photos: Courtesy Big Ed

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Interviews Skunk Magazine Tasting Notes

BLACK GIRL MAGIC OG- 1ST LADY OF THE WEST COAST- TASTING NOTES AND COMMENTARY

Iwant to talk to you about Oakland, the failed War on Drugs, and Black Girl Magic OG. Let’s step back in time, way back when I first tasted this unique strain developed exclusively for the 1st Lady of the West Coast.

In the beginning, I knew if I was going to write about the real OG, names were less important than the final product, and what a final product this is.

Dipping into the mylar bag, I’m greeted by a gassy, petrol-laced aroma that brings me in deeper into the terpenes. I inhale, and layers of aromatics reveal themselves amongst the perfectly cured nuggets.

The buds themselves are tightly compact and clearly show care in the trimming. No tumble to trim, cement mixers here. This is a time-consuming effort, and it is very evident in the care and quality. But what I do want to stress before I go into the tasting notes is the quality of the curing.

Curing:

So many boutique cannabis companies with the plethora of crafty scents and eye-boggling colors, but what Black Girl Magic OG offers is something deeper. It can only come from patience and time, humidity, and magic. Is this the magic in Black Girl OG? Perhaps this gourmet, craft cannabis is only part of the equation.

The Failed War on Drugs:

I grew up on a farm in New Jersey. How could I possibly understand what it means to be from Oakland, where the war on drugs and the deep stigmas are still in evidence today? I cannot, even though the stigmas against the plant certainly are similar. I empathize with the struggle of the plant having been placed into protective custody for cannabis, and I believe that it was unfairly exposed to a deeply corrupt drug court system based on fear and guilt, rather than championing the cannabis plant as healing and vital.

This experience changed me massively and led to my writing the book named Cannabis Cocktails in 2015. But getting back to Oakland, what a place. Something I’d never be able to comprehend because I grew up so sheltered from that life. Oh, don’t get me wrong for a second. I’ve been recently and seen it for myself. And although I know nothing at all about the struggle, It’s ironic and profound that the thing that connects us (the 1st Lady and me) is the plant herself. This experience is personified in each puff of Black Girl Magic OG.

Oakland:

Back in past-2010… I was a rum judge in Oakland for the Ministry of Rum. That Amtrak and freight train that runs down the middle of the street was particularly intriguing for me. But I didn’t wander around much or stray off the beaten path. People said it was probably not a good idea. I seek out authenticity and real food, real people. Never fast food. I want to eat at the source. I want to be back to experience the local food with a great guide and even better cannabis than I can ever imagine- or remember, like Black Girl Magic OG.

cannabis world news product review weed in yellow grinder
Photo: Warren Bobrow

Tasting Notes:

Nose:

Pools of dark bitter chocolate pastilles give way to European Diesel (petrol) and snipped dry-farmed herbs. This strain (Black Girl Magic OG) is curious and inquisitive about who smokes her and captures her magic. Cannabis of this level is distinctive, and it clearly smells like nothing else available. Quality speaks without saying a word.

Mouthfeel:

Enriching and mouth-filling, each drag on a bowl- I used my tried and true- Stonedware “purse-pipe” to achieve oneness with the universe. The experience of holding each hit in the mouth before inhaling deeper is a technique I learned in Belgium back in the 1970s. They usually rolled hashish in with strong Turkish tobacco with less quality cannabis- or no cannabis at all. But the technique of holding and tasting the fine herbs goes back millennia. Cannabis is the same way. I love to experience each hit as more than just a metaphor for getting high. What I want to experience is a Kodak snapshot of each inhalation—that specificity of the experience. Black Girl Magic OG offers this level of craft and passion in each hit. It’s truly uncanny!

Appearance:

Purple and toasty green with crystals and droplets of what is sticky to the touch. Each bud glistens like honey, and I half expected bees to come swarming by for a look-see. This is juicy cannabis that fires up cleanly without any coughing at all. Class Act!

Stone:

If you can imagine a cold and raw day- it’s been raining for weeks, and the wet seems to crawl right into you. But suddenly, out of the background, a wool blanket is draped around your head and shoulders. Wool is naturally water-repellent, and it keeps you super warm, even when wet. This warming feeling, like a temple ball hash high, really centered me into the cadence of the 1st Lady of the West Coast.

I’m truly fortunate to be able to sample cannabis of this quality because Black Girl Magic is completely unknown to the world outside of California. Perhaps if you are anywhere else in the country or the world and you’re reading this blog- you’ll be inspired to taste what magic does to the plant.
Especially from the 1st Lady of the West Coast.

Cheers! WB

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Events Interviews Klaus Podcasts

Warren Bobrow and The Leaf; Chip Z’Nuff

PLEASE WELCOME to the LEAF

Legendary “Cocktail Whisperer” and “Cannabis Whisperer” and famed mixologist WARREN BOBROW

with weed stories, NYC club stories, and the do’s and don’ts of creating your own finest cannabis cocktails

This Wed High Noon PST (3pm EST) with our smokin’ Host CHIP Z’NUFF (Link Above!)

on the Monsters of Rock channel on Dash Radio – https://dashradio.com/monstersofrock

Much more to come on THE LEAF!!  You ain’t seen nuthin yet!!

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Events Interviews Klaus Klaus Apothicaire Podcasts

The Leaf

PLEASE WELCOME to the LEAF

Legendary “Cocktail Whisperer” and “Cannabis Whisperer” and famed mixologist WARREN BOBROW

With weed stories, NYC club stories, and the do’s and don’ts of creating your own finest cannabis cocktails

The Leaf: Warren Bobrow

This Wed High Noon PST (3pm EST) with our smokin’ Host CHIP Z’NUFF

on the Monsters of Rock channel on Dash Radio – https://dashradio.com/monstersofrock

Much more to come on THE LEAF!!  You ain’t seen nuthin yet!!

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5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

ZACK SQUIER: THE MAGIC OF FOOD AND MAINE CANNABIS

I used to live up in Maine for several years. It’s where I fell in love with the seacoast, fish that smacked of the ocean- freshly plucked from the sea. Oysters when I could afford them were not like the ones I’d tasted around the country. These were fresh, without being shipped fresh. Back in the 1980s when I lived in Maine it was a very different place. Sure, we all smoked weed, but it was not legal yet. And if you should get caught with some, the penalty was unkind and inappropriate at best. But as I remember, the quality was amazing. Certainly not like the gassy strains I was accustomed to smoking in New York City, or the fruit salad strains out West. These terroir-driven farms were all over and each had their own history. I can only imagine the quality today, given the legality of the plant in Maine. That’s where talented cooks like Zack Squier come into the picture. He is a classically trained chef, that is for certain. And with his love for the plant, he has unleashed the benefits of good ingredients, simply prepared with love into a format that includes solventless THC. I’d say that’s a win/win for those of us who value quality over just getting stoned.

With that said, may I please introduce Zack Squier… Cannabis Flavorist and Alchemist.

Please tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Where’s home now?  Why Maine?

I’m Zack Squier, Founder & Chef of Squier’s Specialty Edibles. I was born in York, Maine before moving to Sierra Nevada, where I grew up until entering high school. I moved back to the east coast in 2006 and have been living here since. I fell in love with Maine as a young adult, moving to Kittery at the age of 23, before making my way up to Portland where I currently live and where my company is based.

I chose to stay in Maine because I love the overall vibe here, Portland especially. It’s the perfect place for me and has what a big city offers, just fun-sized. The food is on another level, with a killer music scene and top-tier cannabis culture to boot.

Another reason I love Maine is the community. Everyone is proud to be from Maine and it’s for a good reason. From the beautiful summers on the ocean to the cozy winter season in the woods, the tranquil state offers everything I look for in a place. I’m happy to call Maine my home.

Where did you go to learn about culinary arts? Why cannabis? Who taught you?

I began working in restaurants when I was 13, washing dishes at a short-order breakfast joint on the weekends. From then on, I continued down the industry path, working in numerous restaurants under great chefs, learning as much as I could while having as much fun as possible (maybe a little too much fun). I gradually made my way up the ranks from dishwasher, to fry cook, grill cook, sous chef, to executive chef, eventually opening a restaurant, Umami, I was part owner of in Northwood, New Hampshire.

The restaurant industry is also where I was first introduced to cannabis. Smoking behind the dumpsters with the older line cooks and getting into trouble. At that time, cannabis wasn’t as accepted and mainstream as it is today. To be honest, I didn’t really start taking cooking seriously until I was around 20 years old and around that same time is when I began to realize how special and misunderstood the plant was. Whether people used cannabis for the numerous mental or physical benefits or just to let loose, it was fascinating to me. I was inspired to explore all the different ways it could be consumed and played with, creating infusions, and experimenting. I knew whatever I was going to do in life, I wanted it to involve the magic of food and cannabis.

marijuana-consumer-education-edibles-recipes-milkshake-with-straw
Photo Credit: Derek Bissonnette, DB Photography

Tell me about your company.  What do you do?

At Squier’s Specialty Edibles we specialize in cannabis-infused drink mixers and beverages. What sets us apart from other edible-focused companies is that our ingredients are our main priority. We make our products from scratch with 100% real fruit, organic blue agave, fresh squeezed citrus, and solventless hash rosin.

Being a chef, I didn’t like how I had to compromise my everyday eating habits if I wanted to consume an edible. I desired to provide people with a product that had just as much passion and integrity into the food ingredients as the cannabis used. It made zero sense to me why companies take cannabis – that growers and extractors spent months carefully producing and curating – and infuse it into terrible food ingredients, pumped with artificial flavors and food coloring. It doesn’t do the plant justice and that’s where we strived to do things differently.

Working in the restaurant industry for many years, I witnessed firsthand how bad alcohol abuse can get and how it can negatively affect people’s lives. I myself had my troubles with it. We’re offering people an alcohol-free alternative, whether they are sober from booze and want to consume an adult beverage, or if someone just doesn’t want to deal with a horrible hangover the next day. An ideal option for those following a “Cali Sober” lifestyle, our cannabis-infused mixers are made for every canna-consumer as you can customize your dose by adding a little or a lot: micro to macro.

Do you have any ideas for cocktails with your product?

We regularly release delicious recipes and always showcase unique ways to use Squire’s product. We design our elixirs to be able to easily add your preferred dose into sparkling or still water, but we encourage people to get creative with them. They can also be baked and cooked with, allowing you to enhance any dish.

Whether that be a craft canna-cocktail, an infusion into a homemade ice cream, baking into a batch of brownies, infusing a sauce for wings, or simply adding a tablespoon to your nightly tea before bed. The possibilities are endless! Use in any recipe that could use a little fruit “punch”.

What is your passion? 

My passion is food – I love creating it, sharing it, and eating it. Food has been a constant for me and legitimately what my life has revolved around for almost two decades. Food is life and it ties directly into beverages. When I think about why I love working in the food and beverage industry, it’s because of the way it brings people together. No matter our differences, we all eat and drink. Every culture has different cuisines, dishes, and techniques. It’s truly fascinating and you can never stop learning!

Cannabis and food are similar in this manner. They both have a beautiful way of uniting us, whether it’s a joint being passed around in a circle of strangers or sitting down to enjoy a meal cooked with loved ones. By combining two of my passions, food, and cannabis, I’ve truly found my purpose, which is to create a product that helps others and connects the community.

Follow on social media: https://www.instagram.com/squiersedibles/  – https://www.squiersedibles.com/

Zack Squier: The Magic of Food and Maine Cannabis
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5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

THE ARTIST TREE: THOUGHTFUL CANNABIS RE-IMAGED IN FIVE QUESTIONS


Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself. What are you striving for in your professional career? What differentiates your dispensary from others?

Courtney Caron: I am a co-owner of The Artist Tree – Fresno. I am also the Founder of Adamant Law Group, a cannabis centered boutique law firm focusing on the representation of cannabis retailers, which led to me meeting the founders of The Artist Tree and co-owning The Artist Tree Fresno!

Professionally, I wear many hats. Whether engaging in the practice of cannabis law in California, consulting out of state, or checking customer IDs at our Fresno location (my favorite pastime), I strive to promote the normalization of cannabis use. As a retail store co-owner my main objective is to ensure that each customer, we welcome through our doors is provided with a unique retail shopping experience that is free from pressure and stress. Our ultimate goal is to provide an environment where all of our customers feel welcomed, appreciated, and safe. Because our business model is so unique and truly a community benefit in itself, I would love to see an Artist Tree retail store in every major city across the state of California and the US, giving artists one more platform to present their creations.

Fresno Exterior. Photo Courtesy of the Artist Tree

Warren Bobrow: What kind of research did you do to establish an interior design? Did you work with an architect? What kind of materials did you utilize?

Courtney Caron: The Artist Tree’s original concept was created in 2018 for the city of West Hollywood’s retail application process. Founders Lauren Fontein, Avi Kahan, Mitch Kahan and Aviv Halimi understood that West Hollywood celebrates the arts in so many ways, and we felt that the first cannabis retail store in West Hollywood should too. Unlike the lackluster, windowless dispensaries of days past, focused solely on cannabis, The Artist Tree is as much an art gallery as it is a store. It highlights and enhances the vibrant art community by showcasing a carefully curated mix of local artwork from established and up-and-coming artists.

Our design aesthetic was created by renowned architectural firm Retail Design Collaborate (RDC). Materials incorporated in our design include glass display cases, light colored wood flooring and shelving, custom metal flower tables, custom metal art easels, bright but soft lighting and an open floor concept. Most notably, at both the Fresno location and West Hollywood location we feature a large glass cube where clones are grown and sold.

Fresno Joan Sharma Easel. Photo Courtesy of the Artist Tree.

Warren Bobrow: What are your six and twelve month goals? What kind of obstacles do you face along the way? How do you anticipate removing those obstacles?

Courtney Caron: Within the next 6 months, The Artist Tree plans to open their Oxnard location and their El Sobrante location. Additionally, we hope to bring more awareness to cannabis consumers of our West Hollywood consumption lounge.

Within the next 12 months, we hope to find additional opportunities for retail in California and start to expand beyond the CA borders. We’d love to celebrate art and cannabis across the US.

Obstacles we typically encounter include slow moving municipalities, community push back related to cannabis in general, and more recently, the recession. We tackle slow moving municipalities by being extremely organized and prepared to hit the ground running on all of our projects. We are typically the first retail store to open in most jurisdictions where we hold a license. We try to keep a wide open line of communication, and always welcome dubious municipalities and community members to visit one of our galleries across the state. Tackling a recession can be a bit trickier. The Artist Tree always offers daily deals on top quality products for our customers. This helps even the most budget conscious consumer purchase safe, tested, quality cannabis.

Fresno Joanna Chrys Art. Photo courtesy The Artist Tree.

Warren Bobrow: Do you work with local artists? Who are they? What are their mediums?

Courtney Caron: In each Artist Tree location, we showcase art created by artists from the community where the store is located. Artists may submit their art for any of our locations on our website here.

In our Fresno location, our first art installation featured paintings and photography by Joan Sharma, Nicolas Rattaire, and Lance Anderson.

Fresno Art Portrait. Photo Courtesy of the Artist Tree

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Courtney Caron: I am extremely passionate about serving the local communities where we operate. Developing and implementing Community Benefit Plans in each community brings both me and my partner Lauren Fontein great joy. Whether donating funds, conducting in-kind donation drives, or volunteering our time with deserving non-profit organizations, we are passionate about improving the lives of others in a meaningful way. At the core of The Artist Tree is the celebration of the arts. Whether performing arts or fine arts, we are passionate about promoting the creativity present in each of our communities.

https://www.skunkmagazine.com/the-artist-tree-thoughtful-cannabis-re-imaged-in-five-questions/
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5 Questions Interviews Skunk Magazine

FIVE CRISP QUESTIONS FOR SARA STEWART- THE FOREMOST EXPERT ON CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES.

For those of you who don’t know my own professional background in Food and Beverage, all you have to do is spend the better part of several decades working your way from the bottom up. In my case, that meant starting as a pots and pans “engineer” better known as a pot-scrubber, then graduating to the exalted place known as the dish sink. After languishing in front of a soapy sink full of greasy dishes for a couple of months, my path to the line… (That’s what we call the actual place where cooking is done in the professional kitchen…) And then, if that wasn’t enough education after college, I took it upon myself to become a bartender, from bar-back on up. Thank you to Chris James for seeing to my education become something actually tangible.

To really learn the food and beverage business, it’s essential to make yourself as well-trained as possible so you can do anything that needs to get done. From taking out the trash to making drinks, this is the way that you become essential to your employer. Otherwise, you’ll be washing dishes for the remainder of your restaurant career. And no… When you graduate from culinary school you are not a chef. Period.

The grunt labor thing in a restaurant was not where I wanted to be for very long. Fortunately, the dish sink was a short-lived adventure into doing really hard work. Manual labor if you will. Which framed the next forty or so years of my life into the person I am today. Working hard, doing something I love. That’s the key to life in my opinion. But that’s just my path, the one of Sara Stewart is quite succinct and I know she is going places. Read her words, Sara is a success story waiting to be discovered, yet again.

Warren Bobrow: Please tell us about your journey into cannabis and how you got into cannabis hospitality. 

Sara Stewart: My initial journey into cannabis started in 2019 at Lowell Cafe, the first true cannabis restaurant in America, serving cannabis alongside food, coffee, juice, etc. I had been in the restaurant, nightclub, and event space for almost 15 years, working for some of the most successful companies in Los Angeles, and I was ready for a change. Although I had been a cannabis consumer for most of my adult life, I was unfamiliar with the legal market. I learned METRC from a hospitality viewpoint, which was incredibly unique. I had also been documenting several of the pain points this kind of business underwent, and I wanted to help others avoid some of these headaches in the future.

Upon leaving Lowell Cafe, I started Highspitality to consult for other lounges and eventually joined Green Thumb Industries full-time as a lounge specialist. My time with GTI opened the door for me to help lobbyists and public officials create some of the regulations in new markets, such as Las Vegas. In October of 2021, I opened my second lounge in Mundelein, Ill., making it the first licensed cannabis lounge east of the Mississippi River.

Sara Stewart
Photo: Sara Stewart

Warren Bobrow: Why do you think consumption lounges are the future of cannabis?

Sara Stewart: We know Americans are consuming more cannabis than ever before, and taxes from the sales of Cannabis are surpassing alcohol in many legal states. As someone who is incredibly passionate about hospitality and customer service, I believe that what we are experiencing now is prohibition 2.0.

In my opinion, cannabis lounges will play an important role in normalizing cannabis use, just as bars did for the reintroduction of alcohol post-prohibition. They will provide a social place for safe cannabis consumption and educational opportunities for curious consumers. Although cannabis usage looks much different than alcohol, I hope onsite consumption will elevate the cannabis industry by implementing hospitality-driven operations that create a familiar environment replicating a social club or lounge.

Warren Bobrow: What concepts do you think will define cannabis hospitality and lounges?

Sara Stewart: I believe the defining concepts in lounges will be hospitality-driven first and cannabis second. Most cannabis companies buy retail buildings with additional square footage and assume they can just “build a lounge” attached to it. Imagine buying a liquor store and then trying to build a cafe or restaurant out the back — you simply wouldn’t do that.

Many lounges that aren’t open yet are grappling with how to make money, struggling to build out unique customer experiences, and aren’t working with their local governments to create and implement appropriate and necessary regulations. This is a major issue, and in my opinion, the concepts that will win won’t just focus on cannabis as their main offering.

Warren Bobrow: What do you want people to know about visiting a lounge for the first time?

Sara Stewart: Start low and go slow — you can always take more, but you can never take less.

If the rules or process seems unnatural or different, it’s most likely a regulation that the company has to comply with (for example, we don’t want to charge cannabis and food on separate checks, but we have to).

Lastly, do some research on the lounge you’re visiting. Every lounge is different; some allow you to bring your own products while others prohibit it and require reservations, so you should know what to expect upon arrival. Keep in mind these models are new and destined to change often.

Warren Bobrow: What are your top 3 favorite cannabis products and why?

Sara Stewart: I love flower, and I’m typically a Sativa diva, so I have to say Lemon Trill by Lumpy’s in California. I also can’t live without the Snoozeberries Chocolate Bar from Incredibles and my long-time love, Cereal Milk by CBX.

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Feature photo credit: Sara Stewart

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