VMSD - July/August 2020 - 24
NoMonkey
Business
Grass Monkey opens a street-art-inspired
recreational cannabis concept in Maine.
By Carly Hagedon, Managing Editor
S co tt M ac li n, S ome r sw or th, N. H.
F
ounded in 2013 as a medical
cannabis company, Portland, Maine-based
Grass Monkey recently moved into the
recreational realm with the legalization of
cannabis in Maine. With its first brick-and-mortar rec
concept, Grass Monkey wanted to break away from the
norm when it came to dispensary design.
"When we met with Grass Monkey at the beginning
of the process, the core essence of what they said was,
'We don't want to hide behind the fact that it's now
legal,' " says Johnnie Rush, Chief Business Innovation
Officer at The McBride Co. (Manchester Center, Vt.)
the firm charged with the space's design.
Unlike many dispensaries, which may come off as
contemporary or clinical - especially depending on
their clientele - Grass Monkey doubles as an art gallery and features an eclectic aesthetic with bespoke
art, graffiti and biophilic moments. Renowned street
artist and Co-Founder, Creative Director of Klughaus
(New York), Valentino Mikalef was brought in to create
street-art-inspired graffiti onsite.
The cashwrap area is arguably the star of the show
with a 6-foot-tall sculptural, graffiti-laden banana drawing customer attention. Wooden slats with a bright
green to yellow gradient - like a ripening banana - are
situated around the top of the cashwrap, and an eyecatching gorilla statue with a plant growing out of its
head like a green mohawk sits toward the back. Other
touches include monkey-inspired finishes and lighting
(i.e., tiny monkey sculptures hanging onto light fixtures
in the waiting area), as well as clever callouts to film
phenomenons like "Reefer Madness" and "King Kong."
24
JULY/AUGUST 2020
|
vmsd.com
"The question was: how do we combine these elements to answer, 'Why is this in Grass Monkey'? Some
are obvious like a 4-foot gorilla. But when you see an
illustrated poster of 'King Kong' and he's holding a bong,
it starts to get funny and clever. The clever moments
were balanced throughout the store," says Rush.
Rush explains that the art in the space is so popular
that some customers have asked for printed copies.
With this in mind, The McBride Co. thought ahead
for future interior adjustments, "We wanted them to
have a lobby space that could also be an area where
they could put non-cannabis related products, so they
can sell things like T-shirts and mugs and hats," Rush
explains. "Or if legalization becomes the norm, there
won't be a need for a waiting room anymore. If that's
the case, what we've done is design interior partitions
that can be removed so they can convert that space
when and if the laws change."
PROJECT
SUPPLIERS
Retailer
Grass Monkey Cannabis
Company, Portland,
Maine
Design
The McBride Co.,
Manchester Center, Vt.
Banana Sculpture
TivoliToo,
Mendota Heights, Minn.
Faux Vegetation
Treescapes,
San Marcos, Calif.
Graffiti Artwork
Klughaus, New York
Gorilla Statue
Plant the Future,
Miami, Fla.
Materials and
Wallcoverings
(Graffiti Tile)
La Nova, Houston
http://www.vmSd.com
VMSD - July/August 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of VMSD - July/August 2020
VMSD - July/august 2020
Contents
From the Editor
Vmsd Editorial Advisory Board
The Goods
Next Store
Spellbound
No Monkey Business
Bringing the Outside In
Take Me Home
Showroom
Ad Index
Checking Out
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Intro
VMSD - July/August 2020 - VMSD - July/august 2020
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Cover2
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 1
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Contents
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 3
VMSD - July/August 2020 - From the Editor
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 5
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Vmsd Editorial Advisory Board
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 7
VMSD - July/August 2020 - The Goods
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 9
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 10
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 11
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Next Store
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 13
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Spellbound
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 15
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 16
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 17
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 18
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 19
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 20
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 21
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 22
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 23
VMSD - July/August 2020 - No Monkey Business
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 25
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Bringing the Outside In
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 27
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 28
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 29
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Take Me Home
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 31
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 32
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Showroom
VMSD - July/August 2020 - 34
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Ad Index
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Checking Out
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Cover3
VMSD - July/August 2020 - Cover4
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