FOOD & DRINK FEATURE
THE CROWNTOWN LOUNGE New cannabis consumption lounge features infused mocktails, slushies and soft serve
Pg. 16 APR 20 - MAY 3, 2022 - QCNERVE.COM
BY NIKOLAI MATHER
Most small businesses experience their biggest rush during the holiday season from November through December. But for Michael Sims, co-owner and co-founder of Crowntown Cannabis, there’s one day out of the year more hectic than Black Friday: 4/20. “It’s always busy,” he said. This year, it’ll only get busier. As Crowntown Cannabis celebrates four years in business, the team has several new projects on the horizon including mobile dispensaries, and a line of cannabis-infused ice creams and slushies that they will serve from their fourth location: Charlotte’s first cannabis consumption lounge. The lounge, located in the former NoDa Yoga space above Cabo Fish Taco, will be a bar-like shop where CBD and Delta 8 devotees can consume their favorite cannabis-infused products. “I wanted to give the Charlotte scene a little something different,” Sims said. There is no shortage of bars, breweries and alcohol-forward hangouts in Charlotte. But if you don’t drink, enjoying Charlotte’s nightlife can sometimes be a challenge. Enter the Crowntown Cannabis lounge. In the daytime, the building will function as a shop for curious customers. In the evening, it will sell a blend of mocktails, food and cannabis products for onsite consumption. “I wanted to emulate that [bar] setting, but instead where people can safely enjoy cannabis and each other’s company,” he said. It would be the first place in Charlotte to do so. Though it’s an ambitious project, Crowntown is used to playing the role of pioneer. Four 4/20s ago, then operating as Charlotte
CBD, launched its sales website, then opened its first location on Central Avenue, one of the city’s first cannabinoid dispensaries. The move was a risk for Sims, who had previously worked in towing and bail bonds, but it’s a risk that appears to have paid off: The business has evolved dramatically over the past four years. They’ve added non-CBD products to their inventory, including Delta 8, which he said now accounts for around 80% of his sales. The founders trademarked a new name in 2021 and have opened two new locations — one in Concord and another in Columbia, South Carolina. They’ve experimented with similarly enterprising ventures, most recently by installing Crowntown Cannabis vending machines in bars throughout the Charlotte area. It’s become something of a tradition for the company to announce its newest projects on April 20, and 2022 is no different. Sims and his team will provide a sneak peek of their new cannabis lounge on April 20. The lounge will be open for passersby to sample cannabisinfused slushies. Crowntown plans to move forward with a soft opening by May 20. The hope is to introduce cannabis-infused slushies and soft serve in time for summer. Though the project is still in the works, Sims has already heard a lot of support from customers throughout the Charlotte area. “It’s bittersweet to see that much support and love,” he said. “You realize that Charlotte’s needed this all along.”
RENDERINGS OF THE NEW CROWNTOWN CANNABIS CONSUMPTION LOUNGE.
Crowntown Cannabis blows through obstacles
Though Crowntown is a force in Charlotte’s cannabis scene, its viability is tested every day. “It’s a humbling place to be in, but it’s also very uncertain,” Sims said. “It doesn’t leave for very much rest or sleep.” There are a multitude of factors complicating Sims’ ability to run a cannabis business. Financial management can be a challenge; bank accounts and company cards are often subject to arbitrary cancellation because the business sells hemp products. Shopify, a small-business purchasing
COURTESY OF CROWNTOWN CANNABIS
platform, recently banned sales on cannibinoids, blocking cannabis businesses like Crowntown from accepting credit cards and debit cards. These restrictions inevitably force many businesses to use cash — a move that leaves them vulnerable to theft. “We’re one of the few that still have processing,” Sims said. Crowntown Cannabis itself is on its “third or fourth” bank, according to Sims, after facing legal roadblocks with others. Even the basic building blocks of business — like establishing an online presence or renting
