West Hollywood Approves First Edibles-Only Cannabis Consumption Cafe

It’s a busy time for West Hollywood’s cannabis scene. Not only did the nation’s first licensed cannabis restaurant open this week, but West Hollywood’s Business License Commission overwhelmingly approved the the next consumption lounge last week. The name of the new establishment is Budberry, and it will become WeHo’s first licensed, edibles-only consumption lounge, dispensary, and cafe.

Until Lowell Cafe opened today, cannabis dispensaries were they only place to purchase edibles or any cannabis products. One could also consume cannabis at private events. This is part of West Hollywood’s current initiative, to provide individuals with a place to legally consume cannabis. WeHo will have a total of 16 cannabis consumption lounges for the public in the coming years.

As for Budberry’s future home, it will transform into a consumption area and dispensary. Budberry will open at 8 a.m. as a cafe throughout the afternoon, serving tea, coffee, kombucha, and various pastries.

At night, Budberry will transition into a lounge serving third-party manufactured cannabis beverages, light bites, and THC/CBD beverages produced in-house by cannabis chef Jeff Danzer, who started preparing foods infused with cannabis in 2012.

The stunning 7,500 square foot space will take over Schoos Design, an art studio by Thomas Schoos. The main room has floor-to-ceiling windows, high ceilings, and a lush 4,000 square foot garden in the rear. Schoos built the garden over the last ten years and is filled with rare and exotic plants, statues, a koi pond, and four private cabanas. CEO Jon Locarni says he won’t change the garden except for minor alterations.

Courtesy of Budberry

Budberry and Lowell are only a handful of businesses that received approval to open in the city limits. The application process began in April last year, when hundreds of applicants attempted to secure a coveted license for one of the eight consumption lounges. West Hollywood has a long history of being cannabis-friendly, adapting some of the first medical marijuana licensing 20 years ago.

And while Budberry is moving forward, the laws around cannabis continue to evolve. Lowell Cafe was forced to split the business in two in order to abide by California and local laws, which could be problematic for future consumption lounges. The regulations currently prohibit cannabis consumption lounges from selling food or beverages on the premises.

Schoos is also a partner with Danzer, along with co-founders Locarni and Patrick Fogarty. Budberry’s hours will be from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m., though California law requires all cannabis sales to end by 10 p.m.

Budberry. 8271 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA

• West Hollywood Approves Cannabis Cafes and Consumption Lounges to Open in 2019 [ELA]