In the cannabis industry business is often mixed with pleasure. While part of that pleasure surrounds the spectacle, the buying ritual and everything we have come to learn and love about that experience, the other parts surround the overlap cannabis creates with different aspects of culture.
The saying rings especially true when innovative cannabis shops like Stiiizy, invoke entirely new elements of art and cannabis. With their grand opening lighting up on August 24th, 2019, the massive cannabis shop turned art gallery, features interactive art installations inside a massive retail space; the result has been a totally new and unique emergence into weed and fine art.
Where a lot of retail shops have come up short, Stiiizy has come up big. What Stiiizy has accomplished with their downtown flag ship store, has been nothing short of a complete reinterpretation of the in-shop cannabis buying experience. How did Stiiizy do it? By taking the conventional cannabis shopping spree and transforming it into an immersive unforgettable artistic experience, making people like us at GrassDoor proud to be apart of an industry dedicated to innovation. We are always happy to report on companies propelling the cannabis buying experience forward.
Located inside an impressive 6,500-square feet building, the Stiiizy flagship store nestled in downtown’s Los Angeles Arts District, submerges every person who walks in with a truly authentic Angelino experience. As soon as you pass the check-in-counter, the brick-and-mortar opens to a Stiiizy lobby studded with massive murals by Los Angeles based muralists RISK and Mr.Cartoon. Cozy couches and single seat pods allow patrons to stay a while and appreciate the aesthetics before securing the bag. Continuing through the lobby, which ultimately leads buyers to the shop, the open space is peppered with ‘Instagrammable’ spots; as decorative hubs and hideaways perfectly attune to uploading your next selfie flex. With everything it has to offer, the lobby becomes more than just a high-end art gallery featuring rotating installations from local artists (which is awesome in its own right) but a place that helps us to remember just how powerful a tool cannabis can be in infusing different aspects of culture.
With its unique design inside this massive space, Stiiizy provides customers with a uniquely analog brand experience. After you pass the check-in desk and head through and enjoy the lobby, a tunnel greets you with an expansive ceiling home to a 30-foot art installation by revered Los Angeles street-artist Retna, and two 20-foot Stiiizy Vape Pens mounted on its walls. There is a situated-ness and texture to the entire building that aides in the brand presence of Stiiizy. One that shops generally lack in terms of consumer facing branding.
“You can see the brand physically here, instead of digitally or through advertisements,” said James Kim, co-creator of Stiiizy and co-founder of its parent company, Shryne Group Inc.
“You can actually feel the energy, feel the vibes. When they walk in, we want them to get that energy, so when they leave here, they’ll know exactly what Stiiizy is about.”
In an interview with Weedmaps during a sneak preview of the Stiiizy flagship store, Kim alluded to how the unique art installations and engaging artistic space are the driving forces to Stiiizy’s reinterpretation of the cannabis buying experience.
“Art and cannabis really go hand in hand, and we want to display art that is creative and represents cannabis,” Kim said. “With the Instagrammable moments pods, we want to have a local artist come in and switch them out every six months to keep it fresh.”
Kim mentioned in the interview how the inclusion of local art is Stiiizy’s way of paying homage to the Arts District of Los Angeles. Kim hopes that by cycling local artists and creating more social media friendly art installations, Stiiizy has given customers a reason to return to the flag ship store and refer their friends.
However, just like anything in cannabis, spectacle isn’t everything. The products have to attract customers with their effect and affordability. And as always with marijuana, the proof is in the product itself. That is why we arrive last but certainly not least, to the shop.
Stiiizy has four large mirror display cases with their products. The mirrors are aimed at eliminating the “rush” feeling customers can get while attending smaller shops, allowing visitors to simultaneously browse the same product selections. Even so, Stiiizy made sure to have a special designated display case for returning customers who know exactly what they want as well. The idea is that nobody feels rushed or inundated no matter their buying prowess. The display cases have over 40 products, such as Stiiizy’s new cannabis flower called Liiit and their cannabis edibles named Biiit. The Biiit edible line can only be purchased at their brick and mortar location in the Arts District. They have several flavors of fruity gummy edibles, some of which containing 100 milligrams of THC per package. At GrassDoor, we have Stiiizy Disposables ready for your delivery. One of our most popular is their Strawberry Cough (500mg) Disposable.
Customers are also privy to a corner of the store offering unique Stiiizy merchandise. Limited edition Stiiizy clothing, bongs and dab rigs alongside different parcels of cannabis paraphernalia and accessories are all available for purchase. Stiiizy also offers customizable Stiiizy vape pens, where you can engrave your initials and add different patterns and designs for your aesthetic preference. The first 500-people to enter the shop during its grand opening received a swag bag filled with the afore mentioned merchandise and cannabis goodies. Needless to say, we may very well be looking at the future of in-shop cannabis buying.
by Zane Foley
