Rain City Cannabis has changed it’s name to Clutch Cannabis. Same location, same great service, and same great selection of recreational marijuana. Just a different name. And web address, Twitter, and Instagram.
We have updated our Seattle marijuana stores guide to reflect this change.
Web: http://www.clutchcannabis.com
Twitter: @clutchcannabis
Instagram: @clutchcannabisrec
On Friday, we had a fun and adventurous road trip to several recreational marijuana shops in Seattle. The trek was complete with very appropriate Seattle happenings, including a lot of rain, cannabis conversation, incredible budtenders, and a very interesting (but super friendly) cab driver who saved us from becoming stranded. You should have been there! But, because you weren’t, we documented a play-by-play of our outing for your reading pleasure. It all started in a mysterious tunnel…
All aboard! Round trip tickets for the Seattle light rail.
Okay, it was the Westlake underground transit tunnel at noon, so it was not very mysterious. (Though, have you been down there at midnight? Mysterious is one way to describe it at that hour…) We took the light rail to Rainier Beach, which dropped us about three miles away from our first destination: Rain City Cannabis.
Admittedly, we had not thought about transportation from the light rail to the shop prior to landing, so, naturally, it started to rain. We tried to flag a passing taxi, but someone beat us to its services. We called yellow cab, waited on hold for many minutes plus two minutes too long, and then called an orange cab. I am still not sure if the orange cab that we flagged after calling was the one for us, but he stopped and agreed to be our designated driver. Swell guy!
Rain City Cannabis resides in an ‘old world’ brick building.
Rain City Cannabis is chock full of some of the friendliest budtenders a recreational smoker could ever meet. Tae, the shop’s manager/designer, gave us a rundown of Rain City Cannabis’ fine selection, which features Fireline, Secret Garden, and Top Shelf. The shop is also the proud recipient of the Dope Cup runner-up award for best hybrid flower. An expansion project is being planned, which will result in more service windows and more products. Rain City Cannabis is definitely worth a visit!
Owner Tae Rhee holds the runner-up Dope Cup award.
Budtender helping out customers.
Remember that awesome cab driver? He is so rad that he swung by to get us after our Rain City Cannabis visit and quickly delivered us to our next destination: Seattle Cannabis Company in SoDo.We have covered this amazing new shop before (here), but we really can never get enough of this local-cannabis stop. The shop’s selection is always fresh and the budtenders really know their stuff. Plus, the attention to detail found here (reclaimed wooden doors? Yes, please) is truly memorable. This spacious, boutique style shop has a very bright future and we can’t wait to see its evolution.
The Seattle Cannabis Co. has a modern reclaimed touch.
Reclaimed accents.
Yes, they got weed.
From that last gem of a shop, we walked down the road to another gem, and, oh, is it a sight to behold. Ganja Goddess has incredible ambiance, complete with 100-ish-year-old exposed brick walls, numerous hanging chandeliers, and captivating tapestries. The shop features God’s Gift, a record-breaking strain at 40.1% THC. Lee, a budtender we spoke with there, is incredibly friendly and full of cannabis knowledge. Be sure to shake his hand and pick his brain on your next visit.
Ganja Goddess adds their sign to the iconic Vertigo sign.
Nice menu.
Lee holding something good.
A touch of taste.
Buddy Boy Farm trading cards.
Because we were in the neighborhood we decided to pop into Analytical 360, Seattle’s marijuana testing facility. We discussed a current controversial topic with the man in charge there: whether or not pesticide tests and regulation should be mandatory in the recreational and medical marijuana industry. There is so much information to address in regards to this issue, which is why High Above Seattle will soon feature an article on this topic alone. Stay tuned!
After leaving Analytical 360, we had a realization: we should have ridden the light rail to SoDo from Rainier Beach, rather than take a cab. In all our excitement, we forgot to ask the cab driver to take us back to the Rainier Beach light rail station. We quickly recovered from this moment because we were having a blast and nothing could rain on our parade (except for real rain, of course). I only mention this for your own road trip! Save a few bucks and light rail away, friends.
An arrow marks the spot.
The last stop on our agenda was Cannabis City, also in SoDo. This was Seattle’s first licensed recreational marijuana shop and is full of very interesting wares, as well as very engaging and intelligent budtenders. This shop showcases glass paraphernalia, including guitars that double as smoking devices. Local art abounds here and the positive vibe is contagious. Do yourself a favor and visit this iconic and historic shop.
Glass smokeable and playable guitars!
The Weedsquatch.
History.
Cannabis City marked our last stop, so we walked a couple of blocks east to catch the light rail back downtown. As we digested our eventful day, we talked about everything from dogs to high parents. We encourage you to recreate our road trip, or make up your own route! Let us know how it goes and spare no details; we can’t wait to hear about it!
Three recreational marijuana stores in the state of Washington had over $1,000,000 dollars in total sales last month, according to the Washington State Liquor Control Board. Thus, landing them into the millionaire’s club. Two of the pot shops are located in Vancouver, Washington and just one in Seattle. Look at the elusive millionaire’s club as the exception rather than the rule, especially when more shops open their doors and add to the competition.
Here are the 3 cannabis shops with over a million dollars in sales for last month:
Main Street Marijuana
Total Sales: 1,525,035
Tax revenue: 389,259
Location: Vancouver
New Vansterdam
Total Sales: 1,144,792
Tax revenue: 286,198
Location: Vancouver
Uncle Ike’s Pot Shop
Total Sales: 1,153,517
Tax revenue: 288,379
Location: Seattle
Introducing Seattle’s newest recreational marijuana shop: Seattle Cannabis Company. Located in the midst of SoDo, the shop had its grand opening this past weekend. The ambiance of the shop is clean, inviting and open; its wares are unique and impressive.
Seattle Cannabis Company wishes to be seen as a “boutique” for recreational marijuana. To accomplish this, it features many products that are not found anywhere else in the Seattle area. Stepping into the shop is a treat for seasoned and novice smokers: the customer is greeted with smiling budtenders, opportunities to smell the strains, eye-catching packaging, and impressive brands.
Casey, Seattle Cannabis Company’s shop manager, values relationships with growers and producers. The shop features many products from tier one and tier two producers that specialize in the strains that they grow. However, this specialty preference does not mean that the shop is unfriendly to novice smokers or tourists unfamiliar with the recreational scene in Seattle. In fact, the shop was built with tourists in mind.
With well more than half of the recreational marijuana industry’s revenue coming from tourism, Seattle Cannabis Company is prepared to cater to and impress those visiting from out of state. The shop is large and open and the budtenders are familiar with strands for both seasoned and novice smokers. The budtenders all smoke the products, which undoubtedly helps them recommend strands to those looking for certain levels of high and experiences.
The Seattle Cannabis Company is now open! Stop by and stock up for the weekend. 3230 1st Ave S http://t.co/PYss3Wm1HQ pic.twitter.com/G9bpRFHFRJ
— Zoots (@Zootology) February 20, 2015
Specialty shop status yields unique marijuana strains with enticing packaging and, often, sustainable business practices. CannaSol is a featured farm of the Seattle Cannabis Company; the farm produces marijuana plants grown in the sun, using sustainable and natural methods. Seattle Cannabis Company also carries organic marijuana from Zion Botanicals, a Tier 2 producer. Seattle Cannabis Company is committed carrying product from Washington growers and takes care to build lasting relationships with all of its suppliers.
Currently, Seattle Cannabis Company offers numerous strains for experienced and new smokers. If you are new to smoking recreational marijuana, try the Pineapple Kush or Dutch Treat, both hybrids. Looking for strains that appeal to experienced smokers? Try 9lb Hammer, indica; Spacebomb, a sativa; or Cherry Pez, also a sativa. While you are in the shop, be sure to pick up some unique accessories that can only be found at Seattle Cannabis Company.
Seattle Cannabis Company is the only shop in Seattle where consumers can purchase Tommy Chong’s line of accessories. Tommy actually made an appearance at Seattle Cannabis Company during the shop’s soft opening. The shop also carries beautiful glass smoking devices and has plans for offering more exciting smoking pieces in the future.
Doug, the shop owner, and his crew worked tirelessly to open Seattle Cannabis Company. The retail space was built from the ground up over the course of four months, with heavy tourist traffic in mind and a desire to bring a unique cannabis buying experience to Seattle. Seattle Cannabis Company is located at 3230 1st Avenue South. Its location is becoming a prime area for a complete Seattle recreational marijuana experience and is a must-see shop for tourists and locals interested in the industry. Stop in for an experience worth raving about.
Note: This image is from recreational marijuana producer and processor Double Delicious. Check them out!
Just months after opening, the first legal pot shop in Washington State is going out of business.
Stonehenge Cannabis, a recreational marijuana store located in Lyle, Washington, has placed its’ focus on closing the shop after the Washington State Liquor Control Board decided to prohibit ‘bundling.’ The practice of bundling includes selling a little bit of marijuana with a non-cannabis product or paraphernalia so the sale can be used as a tax deduction.
According to the article on Marijuana Business Daily and the owner, the practice of ‘bundling’ was the only way for the store to stay afloat.
We sympathize with Stonehenge Cannabis and the unfair tax structure which has been crippling our industry. Cannabis Citys’ James Lathrop has been especially vocal about the tax structure that puts retail shops at a disadvantage from the beginning. We believe that recreational retail shops should be given a favorable chance of survival, especially in a brand new industry, instead of being handed a bleak situation.
But, is this really the reason why Stonehenge Cannabis is about ready to close its’ doors? Or, maybe its’ not just one thing but a combination of reasons?
As much as we sympathize for Stonehenge Cannabis, we can’t ignore the fact that this recreational pot shop is located in a town of 500 people. I’m not really sure you can expect a specialty shop to survive in a town this small, let alone a recreational weed store.
To echo this sentiment, you don’t have to go further than the town’s Wikipedia page:
The downtown area has one grocery store (which is a super-sized quick-mart), two churches, a tavern, a restaurant/cafe, a gas station and vehicle repair shop, a second-hand store, an espresso stand, and a hotel. Other small businesses come and go, and all are located in the downtown area.
Even the Wikipedia page states that besides the staple businesses, “small businesses come and go,” as if it’s some sort of ritual.
What are your thoughts on this unfortunate closing? Do you have any ideas or suggestions how Stonehenge may be able to stay in business?
