Five super-luxe, design-forward new cannabis dispensaries

Five super-luxe, design-forward new cannabis dispensaries

New pot shops are popping up everywhere, and perpetually raising the bar on the in-store experience. Here are a few of our favourite specialty shops that stand out for their high-design approaches to, well, getting high.

Photography by Joel Esposito

Alchemy

1CEO Richard Browne wanted shopping at Alchemy to be enticing and surprising—which led to the spot’s stylish, cinematic aesthetic. Designed by Toronto’s Paolo Ferrari, the dispensary looks like the inside of a Twin Peaks dream sequence—all organic curves and sleek finishes contrasted by whitewashed ash and resin in canary yellow and burnt orange. On the shelves, you’ll find premium flower from local producers Muskoka Grown and Pure Sunfarms—and they can be rolled in-house at no extra cost. 2464 Dufferin St., alchemycannaco.com

 


Dynasty Pot Shop

2If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Dynasty Plant Shop (next door) has been serving the west end’s houseplant obsession for almost a decade. A few years back, they sold a Grow Your Own kit, cementing their foray into cannabis. And it ultimately lead to the launch of the sister pot shop in early 2021 in the space formerly held by lauded gallerist Katharine Mulherin’s No Foundation. The design is a collaboration between Dynasty founder Michael Leach and I-V Design’s Emil Teleki, inspired by Jean Pierre Raynaud’s white-square-tiled Maison de La Celle-Saint-Cloud in Paris as well as 1980s stoner movies, with features like a retro glass-block wall, kooky art, vibrant homewares and curios. There’s a water fountain in the shape of the Greek god Dionysus babbling behind the front desk, and a tightly curated selection of cannabis from producers like Ace Valley, Little Victory and Ogen. 1086 Queen St. W., dynastypotshop.com

 


Photography by Graydon Herriott

Dimes

3Named for the old-school baggies used to distribute weed, Dimes is nature-inspired while also being tablet-aided. The Queen West location—a second will follow in Grey County this summer—features warm tones, natural materials, and the ’70s folk sounds of Joni and Neil. Designed collaboratively by Toronto’s FutureStudio and Sydney’s Triibe Studio, the space features three types of exposed brick, a blunt-inspired chandelier and rammed-earth façades. Founder JP Adamo knows a thing or two about inviting spaces–he also owns popular nearby restaurants, Bar Piquette and Crosley’s. The store’s stock includes designer paraphernalia and accessories, like Ellie Mae and CoFo’s brass pre-roll container and Lohn candles. Don’t miss Dimes’ Park Pass, a portable combo of drink, edible, pre-roll and a nostalgia-inspired snack (such as Pop Rocks and Bubba Hubba gum), best enjoyed in nearby Trinity Bellwoods. 1048 Queen St. W., dimescannabis.com

 


Photography by Doublespace Photography

Edition X

4According to co-founder Ryan Roebuck, Edition X’s MO is luxury without the white gloves. The store is all about the high-and-high, mixing vintage Louis Vuitton accessories, and Malin and Goetz personal care items with pre-rolls, edibles and the like. Its first apparel collection—designed alongside Mr. Saturday—might already be sold out, but its in-house line of cannabis developed in collaboration with local craft producers is forthcoming and sure to be good. The minimal, light-filled interiors, designed by Toronto firm StudioAC, includes a monochromatic backdrop made from micro-cement and other industrial materials. It’s a bit like walking into a James Turrell show or Kanye West’s alabaster-hued home. 764 St Clair Ave. W., helloedition.com

 


Photography by Colin Clark

1922

5Partners Brooke Silversides and Mike Dunn opened 1922 in the city’s historic Old Town neighbourhood as a nod to the last year cannabis was legal in Toronto in the 20th century. The art-deco-meets-industrial space features ornate ceiling tiles, wrought-iron window panels and plenty of plants. In addition to its assortment from producers like Wink, Broken Coast and Houseplant, 1922 has collaborated with local swimwear brand Bather on a clothing collection. Every item has a tie-in to a charitable organization, such as Cannabis Amnesty, which campaigns to get non-violent cannabis offenders pardoned. 120 Sherbourne St., 1922cannabisretail.com