The first cannabis cafe recently opened in the United States. The appearance of this ground-breaking establishment carries with it the potential to become a trend in light of cannabis acceptance. With more parts of the country adopting favorable legislation and the prospect of cannabis being treated the same as alcohol, the market is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years.
What is it?
Known until recently as Lowell Farms and newly-renamed the Original Cannabis Café, the business is the first of its kind in the United States. It is a restaurant that offers a farm-to-table cuisine that enhances its patrons’ cannabis experience. This differs from the coffeeshops found in the Netherlands. The Dutch iteration of the cannabis-based business is a location whereby the lenience of the local authorities, cannabis is sold for personal use.
The Cannabis Restaurant Experience
Breaking all preconceptions, a cannabis-based café is as far from a smokey, dingy basement as can be imagined. The establishment offers a formal restaurant experience to its patrons with sufficient air-filtration to remove and filter smoke.
What Can You Do There?
To begin with, only people that are over the age of 21 and possess valid proof-of-age can enter the café. Customers can smoke joints, consume edibles and vape in the dining room. Visitors can also rent bongs and pipes from the restaurant or bring their own.
What makes this type of cannabis establishment stand out is the bud and food pairings it offers. A house chef oversees the creation of a unique menu aimed at creating tasty synergies that intensify the cannabis experience. Cannabis cafes may serve beer and wine if in possession of a liquor license.
What Patrons Are Not Permitted to do
Looking at the rules and regulations that govern the business’s operation, there is a list of things that patrons of cannabis cafes are not permitted to do. These prohibitive behaviors include customers taking unfinished products home with them, smoking on the front patio, consuming alcohol outside the designated areas and smoking to the point of becoming incapacitated. Being in the advent of cannabis-centered leisure businesses, it is important to maintain responsible consumer habits.
What the Future Holds
The Original Cannabis Café is planning to open locations throughout the US as favorable legislation is enacted in other areas of the nation. Already, there are plans to expand to other cities. Famous chef Andrea Drummer is constantly working to create new menu offerings that will continue to impress patrons. While looking to add elements to the experience such a café offers, the owners’ emphasis remains on building an ecosystem based on responsible consumption and education.
In keeping with the positive climate surrounding cannabis in recent years, an opportunity exists for prospective entrepreneurs. As regulatory clarity evolves, the risks of opening a cannabis restaurant are reduced. Meanwhile, the potential rewards for ambitious business owners are disproportionately high. Opening a cannabis-based cafe may offer a first-mover advantage that can solidify success in a nascent space.