Doug Chloupek, right, Juva Life chief executive officer, speaks to a crowd of people including Redwood City Mayor Jeff Gee, third from right, and City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz, second from right, during a tour of the city’s newest cannabis club located in the heart of downtown.
Without a light aroma of cannabis and the concierge at the door checking for identification, it could be easy to mistake Redwood City’s newest cannabis dispensary, Juva Life, for a tech company.
The brightly decorated storefront is focused on education and premium cannabis products and Juva’s goal is to foster a welcoming environment where individuals can explore and experience the benefits of cannabis in a responsible and informed manner, Doug Chloupek, Juva chief executive officer and founder, said in a press release.
“We couldn’t be happier to be here in Redwood City and here across from Courthouse Square. It’s an amazing location and we appreciate the warm welcoming from the city,” Chloupek said.
The store, located at 2301 Broadway across the street from Starbucks Coffee and the Courthouse Square, will specialize in company-branded cannabis products. For an ⅛ ounce of flower the price ranges from $15 to $65, Chloupek said.
A door greeter will stand at the store’s entrance and verify state issued identifications, ensuring guests are at least 21 years old. The front lobby area is equipped with multiple digital kiosks and guests can also order products from their phones on site or pre-order in advance for pickup, or place their order from a Juva sales associate.
The store is filled with multiple round center pod display cases. Products are only viewable through an enclosed glass case and, Chloupek said, the state law prohibits touching or smelt products which are required to be sealed.
The dispensary, which celebrated its grand opening Thursday, July 27, offers edibles, flowers, drinks, extracts, tinctures, topicals, prerolls, cartridges, pills and other merchandise. Chloupek and his company are no stranger to Redwood City — it’s served as a delivery service in the city since 2018 and through the pandemic. Juva will continue to offer delivery services alongside the storefront experience.
Chloupek said he is focused on hiring friendly and educated employees who will be trained to have a wide range of knowledge to best assist guest’s needs.
The store will be open everyday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and can take cash or debit, Chloupek said, noting they do not take credit cards because it is federally illegal. The store also has an ATM machine inside for customer convenience, he added.
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The business has been open since late June after a soft open. Mayor Jeff Gee was in attendance for the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony and said Juva is a retailer in today’s world that’s been desired to add to the city’s entertainment and nightlife.
“The store is beautiful. People have said, ‘Oh my gosh, it looks like an Apple store,’” Gee said. “And the council was very deliberate in taking steps to evolve our business here and make sure it was eased into our community the best we could, and to make sure that whoever is here are high quality, reputable retailers.”
The city has awarded six cannabis licenses, one of which is on the eastern side of Broadway, Embarc, at the old Provident Credit Union site. Gee said another cannabis store will soon be opening on Whipple Avenue, the location formerly occupied by Any Mountain.
“They are not all in one place. They are spread out through the community,” Gee said.
Economic Development Manager Simon Vuong said the city has been forward thinking and progressive in how it is approaching cannabis and the holistic benefits.
“The community has actually said it has been a great help to them,” Vuong said. “We wanted to create an accessible market for anyone who wanted or needed a regulated cannabis market.”
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