Owners of Chicago's first Black-owned dispensary seek to change culture around marijuana
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago's first independent, Black-owned marijuana dispensary, The Grasshopper Club, is making 4/20 Day a community event.
Digital journalist Jamaica Ponder sat down with co-owner Matthew Brewer to learn more about their effort to destigmatize the culture around cannabis.
"You know, when cannabis was illegal, 80% of arrests were on Black and Brown people, and since it's been legal, 95+% of the ownership has been white," Brewer said.
So what is it like to be the only independently Black-owned dispensary in the city?
"It's especially meaningful to us. My brother has been arrested a couple of times for possession of cannabis, and to have him on the side of the business where he has ownership and it's legal means so much more. In fact, when we opened on Valentine's Day, my brother made the first purchase to sort of symbolize that full-circle moment," Brewer said.
What is it like to have a small, local, independently owned business, and to be able to partner with so many other local businesses in the area?
"We love Logan Square. From the beginning when we were first looking at the location, we came and met with the community, and explained our plans, and there were no objectors. Everybody was just wishing as well and had ideas. And even with 4/20, for example, we're partnering with seven different restaurants all within a block of here. And when we think of cannabis culture, it's not just the plant itself," Brewer said. "It's the plant, it's the people, it' the food, it's the drink, it's the community. And so we're really trying to – in our platform as an independent, minority-owned, Black-owned dispensary – being very intentional about partnering with businesses and people in that way."
What are their plans for expanding and partnering with others in the community?
"Logan Square is our first location. We are starting construction in the South Loop, which will be our second location. It is near Grant Park, in an old Potbelly's conveniently," he said. "To date, we're the only Black-owned independent dispensary open, and I'm not sure how many more there will be. I hope there are more, and frankly we're looking to partner with others who might need guidance, resources, expertise."
The state of Illinois awarded 200 licenses last year, but The Grasshopper Club is still the only independently owned Black dispensary in Chicago.
PONDER: "There must be at least a large handful of people sitting out there who have the ability to grow, or have smaller quantities, or whatever it might be to expand your business. But they don't have the real estate, or they may not have the capital backing, or the myriad of things that you need to start a small business. Not everybody's got that."
BREWER: "So in 2015, the state awarded medical licenses, and so the cannabis industry in Illinois began then. The state looked up a few years into the industry, and realized that this disparity between the fact that when cannabis was illegal, over 80% of arrests were Black and Brown people, and that that group of people had less than 1% of ownership in the industry when it was legal. And so in response to that, the state came up with a process of awarding licenses that took into consideration whether someone was from those groups in an effort to increase diversity in the industry."
PONDER: "Okay. So to make sure I get this clear, your mother and your brother were able to apply, because through the social equity licenses, if you are related to someone who has a previous cannabis offense, which your mother is, or if you are somebody who has a previous cannabis offense, what your brother does, then you're able to apply for these licenses. You guys were successful."
BREWER: "We wanted to reimagine what the dispensary experience could be. We thought that, in many cases, especially here in Illinois and in Chicago, dispensary experiences can be very transactional. You go in, and there's almost an expectation that you know what you want to buy, and there's not a lot of guidance to get through that process."
PONDER: "So how do you make sure that people who maybe aren't as experienced with cannabis come into your shop and feel comfortable enough to even ask the questions that they need to get to the right products for them?"
BREWER: "We have a lot of customers who come in, and they're still open to having a conversation. Something they see on the shelves or in the display case piques their curiosity, and they ask a question which turns into a conversation sometimes, and sometimes they want to try something new, and our team is wonderful at helping guide people through that process."
The Grasshopper Club's community partnerships in Logan Square offer deals and discounts for the 4/20 holiday through this weekend.