THE SCENE

Heart the Cart

Bong carts are the new bar carts. You need one.

PHOTOS & TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

In May, dining website-meets-community Food52 asked the question that’s been on interior stylists’ minds for a while now: Are bar carts on their way out? To which I say, um, do you really have to ask? If there’s a question about the continued longevity of any trend’s lifespan, it’s safe to assume that it’s on its way out.

Sure, the author posed a question to her Instagram crowd about whether bar carts were “out” or “still cool,” and 84 percent of the responses came back in favor of the bar-on-wheels-as-openstorage, but that’s not surprising. Lots of people thought hanging wooden carvings of “live laugh love” on their walls would be the writing on the wall that told the world just how deep and spiritually sound they are. They lived. They laughed. They loved. And to this day, some of them keep right on loving.

Side story: During the early days of the pandemic lockdown, memes kept my spirit alive. You could say that because of memes, I lived. I certainly laughed. And, my god, some of them I loved—especially the one that just showed a wooden carving of the word “gather” hung on a beige-gray wall. The simple caption: “That’s illegal, Karen.” I died. I lived. Laughed. Loved. I still do. Perhaps I am the lowest common denominator?

Either way, I’ve never had a bar cart. I did purchase a wheeled two-shelf unit in a mid-century modern style that could to the untrained eye be confused for a bar cart, but it’s not a bar cart. No, no, no. Bar carts are out even if home decor sites are hesitant to declare the trend dead quite yet. Perhaps there’s been enough death this past year, or perhaps they worry that the plebes who embarked on home improvements while spending so much time in said homes would revolt if they read that one of the trendy, musthave pieces they just incorporated into their

decor was suddenly as taboo as gathering with unvaccinated strangers in close quarters while not wearing a mask.

Let them revolt, I say. Or let them in on the secret that surely isn’t going to be a big secret for much longer because— you heard it here fi rst, folks—it’s going to be the hottest home decor trend of 2022. Whether you’re getting one brand new or updating your existing bar cart into one of the bong varieties, you too will get to say you helped spark the latest rage in interior styles.

If you’re wondering why you would want a bong cart, maybe it isn’t for you. Keep gathering. Keep on living, laughing, and loving. (Confession: I do have a wooden sign that says “humble & kind” hanging on the door above my home offi ce. I picked it up one day at a Home Goods where it was on clearance for $10. Although the message made me shudder, I thought I could use the canvas and turn it into something cool. I never got around to attacking it with some paint, but I did tack two oversized PostIts on either side of the message. The fi rst reads, “If you think you’re,” and the latter wraps it up with “you’re confused.” It’s now perfect.)

But if you’re like, omg, I’ve already been storing my Jane West Beaker on my old bar cart but hadn’t realized I should stop calling it my old bar cart yet! Well, now you know! You and I should be friends, I’ve got my Jane West Beaker on my bong cart, too! #twinning.

And if you’re somewhere in between, I encourage you to take your smoking accoutrements out of whatever hiding place they’re stashed. Bong carts aren’t just for bongs, you know. Pipes, stash jars, grinders, rolling trays, dab rigs, and all of the other objets d’art cannabis accessories can live on the cart, too—just as long as they’re nice and clean. Put them on display unless you’re living with rambunctious kids, or jumpy cats, or any other creature that could knock them over. Then proceed with caution. Always keep the stuff you put into the

smoking devices secured safely away from any minors or pilfering roommates who shouldn’t have access to your stash.

If you consume cannabis, there’s no need to hide it away in a cabinet or drawer as if it’s something you’re ashamed of, no matter what you may have been told in D.A.R.E. But there’s still a whole lot of stigma surrounding it today, even as more Americans than ever are in favor of its legalization.

After legalization comes normalization. The bong cart (or bud cart, or cannabis cart if you must, but I like bong cart because it’s a better play on the “bar cart” phrase— that’s what we’re going for here) is a statement. If you’re not quite ready to admit that bongs—with water fi ltration and the ability to deliver a cool, smooth hit—are a superior way of consumption,

that’s OK. You’ll get there. And when you do, I’ll have tons of recommendations for products that will look right at home on the bong cart in your home.

Enhanced Experience

The delivery-based cannabis market is here to stay—and Blaze is making it all easier.

The massive rise in delivery-based business during the pandemic has transformed how customers interact with their favorite brands across the United States and the world. Consumers now expect everything from alcohol to toiletries to be available at their doorstep. As legalization spreads across the country, that expectation of seamless delivery is extending into the cannabis industry. Currently, 14 states permit regulated cannabis deliveries, but that number is expected to rise over the next few years.

For most dispensaries, however, the idea of quickly implementing online purchasing and delivery is daunting, to say the least, if not downright impossible to navigate safely, effi ciently, and legally. That’s where Blaze can step in, offering state-of-the-art delivery software and POS systems designed to provide seamless solutions to cannabis purveyors.

“We feel that delivery is going to be a key piece for retailers who are looking to grow their businesses,” says Chris Violas, the CEO of Blaze. “We think it’s here to stay and we’re doubling down on that market by continuing to develop new features to streamline and scale delivery operations.”

Blaze’s software addresses backend logistics and the tracking and managing of drivers. It also creates a delivery service that will pass each state’s regulatory status, avoiding legal headaches. Designed by industry veterans, the delivery software integrates directly with a store’s POS system to allow accurate inventory tracking. It features signature capture and ID verifi cation, and it provides delivery drivers with a complete manifest and inventory ledger.

To enhance the consumer’s experience, the Blaze Delivery app easily captures customer signatures, verifi es IDs, and tenders orders—customers can even pay ahead. Plus, it offers the ability for drivers to communicate securely with dispatch or with the customer for last minute changes.

A recent report from Uber showed that delivery revenue grew 103% in 2020, a number that is expected to continue to rise moving forward. There is no reason why cannabis businesses cannot get in on that trend and expand too. They just need the proper framework in place to make it happen.

BLAZE Delivery

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