Envision this: You’re at a bar, but the energy is decidedly relaxed—even a bit posh. Instead of throwing back shots, you’re sharing a vape pen or tasting a cannabis confection from a local bakery—maybe there’s a latte involved. There’s trivia night going on in one corner, in the same area of the lounge where comedy night was happening last week. You can ask a cannabis aficionado (or “budtender”) about a new type of flower at the counter, or even order table service (complete with rolling papers) from your pre-reserved booth. And no, you aren’t in Amsterdam.
Marijuana prohibition’s slow but promising lift in the United States is making room for a wave of “public cannabis consumption spaces,” also known as “social consumption lounges” (SCLs) or cannabis cafés, more casually. Currently only 12 states allow for on-site cannabis lounges: Alaska, California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York.
But it’s predicted that the legalization and marijuana café trend will explode in the coming years as state laws continue to change. Ahead of the curve, the San Francisco Bay Area currently has the largest number of SCLs in the country, but more are cropping up in other areas of the United States as well.
Ahead are eight stylish, comfortable, welcoming spaces for a new kind of recreational marijuana happy hour, with some pointers and suggestions from Erik Knutson, CEO of Keef Brands. Not only is Knutson the force behind Keef (known as a “pioneering developer, producer, and distributor of award-winning cannabis-infused beverages, edibles, oils, and more”) but he’s also a founding board member of the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) and the Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF).
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Wake-N-Bakery
- Location: 3508 N. Broadway, Chicago, Illinois | Find on Google Maps
Self-described as Chicago’s original cannabis-infused bakery and coffee shop, Wake-N-Bakery has an extensive menu of THC-infused goodies. From the more expected (Americanos and iced teas) to the downright fun (like Snoop’s Dream, a caramel Italian espresso drink that pairs well with the weed-infused muffins), this is a spot where you’ll want to linger. There are four locations peppered around the city; the one in the city’s Lakeview neighborhood is within walking distance of Lake Michigan. You can also pick up pre-rolls, edibles, and other cannabis products from Wake-N-Bakery.
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Excerpt from: afar.com
