Want to make plans to go out and meet up with some friends for happy hour, but instead of alcohol at a bar, you’d prefer to consume cannabis in a lounge setting?
In New Jersey, now you can.
Late last summer, four licensed cannabis consumption lounges opened around the state, and three of them are in South Jersey.
One of them is in Merchantville and two are in Atlantic City.
We spoke with Spencer Belz, Chief Operating Officer at SunnyTien dispensary and lounge to see how things are going so far.
“I enjoy the challenge. I’m enjoying this opportunity to do something that nobody has done yet, and I enjoy the journey,” Belz said. “We’re constantly learning, we’re recalibrating our approaches, we’re looking at things from different perspectives, and different angles.
“We’re really focused on constantly listening and exploring to see what the brands want, what our consumers want, what works for a place like Atlantic City.”
Belz said they draw a significant mix of clientele between locals and visitors and they stay constantly busy with every day customers and events like cannabis yoga, cannabis pole dancing, trivia nights, and football game parties. They’ll also soon have a lounge brunch and a supplier spotlight for retailers and manufacturers to network.
SunnyTien had already been open and operating as a standard dispensary when they received the state approval to open as a lounge, but the on-site consumption component of the business was always in their original plans.
Belz said they have a highly attentive staff ready to serve and guide customers in their experience through any lounge needs – from first timers coming to AC specifically to try the new lounge concept, to locals hanging at the bar and socializing.
He says they approach the lounge as a full service experience for guests. They get them set up with accessories to support them along the way. For example, if you purchase flower to use in the lounge, they offer you a tray with whatever options you’d like to use, like grinders, papers, cones, hemp wraps, glass pipes, bubblers, bongs and vaporizers to enhance your experience.
Belz said at SunnyTien they are taking their time to do it right as often as possible and plan for long term growth and stability in Atlantic City.
“We always recommend that everybody just come experience for themselves and experience a part of New Jersey history with one of the first lounges,” Belz said.
For more information visit them online at www.sunnytien.com.
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