Friday Five
The cannabis space is growing… and fast. And as we said before: The real winner of the Pandemic is the weed industry.
But that Big W wouldn’t have been possible without local leaders in the cannabis industry. The following 5 entrepreneurs, activists, and leaders are guiding the charge in the Bay Area to make education, equity, and access pillars of the industry. — and you can read more about them, below.
Sue Taylor
The owner of Farmacy in Berkeley, Sue Taylor is a 72-year-old cannabis activist, entrepreneur, and mother of three.
Since entering the cannabis space after her retirement, Taylor has educated seniors about cannabis as a wellness tool and has spoken in front of Congress about cannabis deschedulization.
Named after its “farm over pharmacy” mindset, according to the business’ website, Farmacy’s goal is to educate consumers of all ages about the medicinal properties of cannabis.
Farmacy is located at 3243 Sacramento Street Berkeley, CA 94702 from 10 A.M. — 8 P.M. Monday through Saturday and 11 A.M. — 6 P.M. on Sunday. More info.
Monica Gray
A co-founder of Nice Guys, a cannabis delivery service in Marin County, Monica Gray entered the cannabis space in 2016 with her husband, Adam Fong, after both of their fathers were diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. The couple, both born in Marin County, saw the difference that cannabis can make for people dealing with illness.
Thus, Nice Guys Delivery was founded, a delivery service that offers a variety of products to residents of Marin County.
In addition to co-founding Nice Guys, Gray founded the Cannabis Industry Association of Marin County to create a space to educate residents about the importance of marijuana access and how it can serve as a tool in the community.
Nice Guys Delivery is an online-only service open for delivery 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. daily. More info.
Shawn Richard
Shawn Richard is a cannabis entrepreneur that made a case in front of the San Francisco Planning Commision as to why he should be able to open the first cannabis dispensary in the Upper Haight in 2019.
The result of this case is Berner’s On Haight, which Richard opened with long-time cannabis industry expert, Gilbert Milam, in December 2019.
The store is the first to open under San Francisco’s Office of Cannabis Social Equity program, which aims to right the damage done to BIPOC communities during the War on Drugs.
Berner’s on Haight is located at 1685 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. daily. More info.
Reese Benton
A San Francisco-born cannabis entrepreneur, Reese Benton is both the founder of Posh Green Cannabis Boutique and had a role in shaping SF’s previously mentioned Social Equity program.
Benton opened Posh Green when she started to notice that the offering of brick-and-mortar and online cannabis dispensaries were not meeting the needs of many Bay Area cannabis users, including herself.
The store, which opened in The Hunter’s Point neighborhood of San Francisco in 2020, offers only “top-shelf premium cannabis products,” according to their website, and specializes in helping both new and experienced cannabis users find the products that are right for them.
Posh Green Cannabis Boutique is located at 828 Innes Ave. #110, San Francisco, CA from 11 A.M. to 8 P.M. daily, with delivery opportunities available on their website. More info.
Amber Senter
It’s clear that Amber Senter, cannabis activist, social entrepreneur, and business owner, wears many hats. A veteran of the United States Coast Guard, Senter seeks to make space in the cannabis industry for the LGBTQIA+ community and BIPOC folks.
Senter is the founder of The Congo Club, an Oakland-based dispensary, Shady Pines Box Club, a subscription-based cannabis delivery service, and co-founder of Supernova Women, an organization formed by women of color that aims to promote both equality and equity in the cannabis economy.
Additionally, Senter sits on the board of Decriminalize Nature Oakland, a non-profit that works to decriminalize all-natural plant medicines within the city of Oakland.
Shady Pines Box Club is an online-only subscription service that delivers to Bay Area residents on Thursdays and Fridays. More info.
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