Five observations we made at a long-running California cannabis lounge
For people who already frequently consume cannabis in social settings, whether in home party environments or private clubs where smoking is permitted, the topic of licensed social consumption in Mass isn’t so hot these days. After years and years of waiting, it’s almost like nobody’s in a rush to pay extra to vape in their seat at the movies instead of just ripping a hit in the bathroom as people do now.
Similarly, the common attitude among those who work and invest in the Bay State marijuana industry is somewhere between First we have to right the retail ship before sailing deep into lounge waters, and Only a psychopath would seek another highly regulated license under the beleaguered Cannabis Control Commission.
Both of those positions are completely understandable. And certainly a lot of people who are speaking cautiously about the prospects of cannabis venues and even the lower-stakes event license category see market realities from valuable unique perspectives. But none of that changes the fact that regulations for social consumption establishments are entering the final drafting stages, and coming as soon as October whether the cynics care or not.
The skeptics do have merit. Some spots in other states for legal puffing have already folded while a few are struggling, and it’s never easy even under the best circumstances (see: the closure in April of Thrive’s Smoke and Mirrors Cannabis Lounge in Nevada). But a few are alive and adapting. And as it turns out, I have visited one such destination in the Bay Area annually going back to 2018.
It’s called Barbary Coast, named for the former combat zone that once covered the downtown area where it is located. On my most recent trip there, I spoke with a manager, longtime employees, and some frequent customers to see how the place keeps on ticking. Here’s what they shared in summary …
The prices are a bit higher than at regular dispensaries, so deal with it
That’s right, cheapskates, you’ll have to pay a little more at places that actually serve cannabis for consumption on site than you do at grab-and-go joints. Just like with restaurants (as opposed to delis and grocery stores). It’s not really a new concept, but like everything else with this industry (delivery, for example), regulators and the operators at their mercy tend to start from scratch to recreate old customs. And while paying more in the place where you spark up may feel strange at first—say, $50 to $60 for a high-end eighth that you can find for $40 at a pot shop—it really only makes sense, at least if we want these joints to stay open.
They have toys that you don’t have at home
At a place like Barbary Coast, you’re not just getting a comfortable seat with a table and rolling tray, but you’re also paying for access to glass pieces galore, a smorgasbord of bowls, bangers, and bongs. I’ve heard a lot of people back in Massachusetts argue that there’s zero point to these places existing since they’re not really providing anything you can’t experience at home. Besides that being an absurd and close-mindedly privileged perspective, it’s also just not true for the majority of consumers who are unable to house or afford a $500 hand-blown piece but would love to rip one, or for anyone who loves doing dabs the old-fashioned way but is not allowed to have an open torch in the home due to the presence of children or drunken clumsy roommates. Not to mention those who live in public housing or have other rental arrangements with no tolerance and need social consumption spots more than anyone. If you have the glass, all of the above people will come.
There is an actual community vibe
Of the seven tables that were occupied on my most recent visit to Barbary Coast, including one where I was posted up with a dab rig, four had solo dudes like me, two had couples, and one had a woman working on a laptop by herself. An initial lack of conversation between patrons was slightly jarring, and the one stray beam of sunlight that evaded the front window shade through a rogue crack slicing through clouds of pot smoke like a light saber through floating cauliflower only added to the daytime bar vibes. But the mood softened and settled when I realized that most everybody in there knew each other, but just mostly chose to sit at their own separate tables. Within minutes we were all talking and mingling, except for one guy who was glued to a screen with Bob Ross painting a cryptic beach scene.
They constantly change things up
When I first started visiting Barbary Coast more than five years ago, the novelty of sitting in a place like that was enough to bank on. I obviously can’t speak about the experience of others, but for the people I went with who had flown in from states across the country to attend conferences in the area, it was enough to be able to sit and smoke and talk shit and act silly. But friends and people change and venues have to keep up with developed interests or possibly even help usher them in. These don’t have to be complete makeovers by any means, but rather just slight changes in scenery and basic acknowledgments that you have seen what your customers want and are happy to provide.
For Barbary, that has meant shrinking the size of the dab bar and adding some pool tables. I happen to love the full-service concentrates, but there are still two stools where I can get professional assistance with my melts; it just doesn’t take up a whole room anymore. As lounges in particular morph from whatever Amsterdam or Cheech and Chong-inspired concept lots of people initially brought to the table into the reality of what American weed smokers want, we will see such subtle adjustments take hold.
Events, events, and more events
We all know how much work it is to run any cannabis business. And we have all seen well-intentioned operators start off with ambitious aspirations only to scale back to a no-frills model once reality sets in. But if you think it is important to keep activations, pop-ups, and other special activities at pot shops happening regularly, and I assure you that it is for most successful establishments, it is thrice that critical for a social consumption spot.
Take Barbary, for example, where the schedule is perpetual, with events every day and/or night of the week, often more than one, such as a jazz trio and singer followed by a stand-up show. And needless to say, they get as many of these events as possible sponsored by vendors as well as outside companies; take PBR, for example, which supports programming and also sells its infused beverages there.
As one regular told me, it’s kind of like how people who get Playboy may joke that they read it for the articles, even though they really do appreciate the prose. He definitely frequents the Barbary Coast for the weed, but it’s also become one of his go-tos for open-mic nights. “I like to get high while I’m watching the performers,” he said in between puffs of a blunt, “so I guess you could say that I keep on coming back for all of it.”
