4 minute read
Grass Ceiling
Grass Ceiling
THE FUNKY SKUNK CATERS TO THE CANNA-CURIOUS
By Hannah Strader
tucked in an unassuming strip mall off blue ridge Cutoff in raytown is a sign featuring a grinning cartoon skunk with a suggestive droop to its eyelids. The Funky Skunk has been operating there for years as a CBD and smoke shop, only recently moving a few spaces down from their original location to realize one of its main goals to become one of the first established cannabis lounges in the Kansas City metro. Now, the space is making its name as a lowkey hangout spot for the canna-curious to explore different dosing methods and relax in a no-pressure social setting.
“We had a smoke shop in the hopes that when [legislation] passed, we would have this opportunity. We’ve been bamboozled a lot, and it sucks, but you have to continue to stay diligent and find other ways to be impactful in this industry,” owner Andrew McDowell says.
McDowell, along with business partner and longtime friend Roderick Pearson, started the Skunk to provide their knowledge and expertise to a broader audience as medical and recreational cannabis began to gain traction. McDowell first began experimenting with cannabis after a sports injury in college left him with residual pain. Following his return home, Pearson suggested the two put their heads together and come up with a way to make their positive experiences with pot into something profitable.
“We’ve been doing this for six or seven years, but it was all gearing up toward this point right here,” Pearson says. “We were the first Black-owned smoke shop to convert to CBD. So once the industry starts moving, we can jump with it.”
At one of its first events, The Funky Skunk hosted a 4/20 Puff and Paint. For varying ticket prices, guests received access to the lounge, paint, and a canvas. The pricier packages included a choice of a glass water pipe to decorate and potluck-style food.
Across town, the Smokey River Entertainment District simultaneously hosted around 8,000 people at its newly developed Canna Village for an elevated evening of music. It featured national acts like Wiz Khalifa and Joey Bada$$ and industry heavy hitters like Mike Tyson and Ric Flair.
Despite the stoner stereotype that consumers are “too lazy” to leave the house, social disorders can be a major underlying factor for cannabis use. Forging headfirst into a sweaty mass of strangers in the hopes of glimpsing a celebrity onstage isn’t ideal for a lot of smokers.
“I don’t really like stuff that’s big. I used to, but crowds and stuff like that give me anxiety. I don’t really feel safe,” one attendee said. There was similar concern over the rules and regulations, especially concerning law enforcement presence.
“I’d usually just be at home, so this is a good chill outing for me,” said Destiny, a self-identified artist who chose The Funky Skunk as an alternative way to spend her evening. “[Consuming is] stimulating to the mind and creative— just to see what you come up with.”
Creativity and education are at the heart of what McDowell and Pearson do. While McDowell is busy promoting and planning events like cultivator gatherings, watch parties, movie nights, infused meals, private rentals, and other activities, Pearson hones in on the horticulture.
“That’s my niche because it’s more hands-on. I get particular about the strains that I grow just because I grow them for me. I don’t have anyone I caretake for,” Pearson says.
His deep understanding of the plant itself, combined with McDowell’s event planning, has already worked its magic and made The Funky Skunk a staple in certain circles. More recently, they hosted an event called The Re-Up, where consumers were able to meet with licensed cultivators to build connections while sampling products. The business technically operates in a legal gray area, but The Skunk has done its due diligence to make sure their neighbors and the City of Raytown are aware of their presence.
“At the end of the day, because people are coming into the city to do something, somebody’s gonna leave and stop at the gas station on their way out of here. Vendors are coming in from other states, and they have an opportunity to see it. When they leave, they’re talking about Raytown,” McDowell says. “We’re working hard to bring Raytown and Kansas City to the forefront because it’s important to us. This is the city we grew up in.”
