Weed and music have been closely linked over years, and soon, music-loving stoners will be able to satisfy all of their cravings in one place, since iconic California record shop Amoeba Music is applying for a permit to host a marijuana dispensary.
The proposed dispensary will be at Amoeba's flagship location on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA. The plan involves renovating the store's jazz room and turning it into a haven for, ahem, jazz cigarettes. The permit will be handed out this fall, and Amoeba is competing against five other companies who are also seeking to open a dispensary.
This is apparently not simply a quirky passion project from Amoeba, but a business-minded move to stay financially solvent. "We need supplemental income," store co-owner David Prinz told the East Bay Express. "That's the real truth. This helps keep us open and enables us to do some amazing shit."
Prinz founded Amoeba in Berkley in 1990, and the business expanded to San Francisco in 1997 and Hollywood in 2001. That was right around the time that music sales began to go into free-fall due to illegal downloading. Despite these challenges, Prinz said, "Weed can help save music — absolutely. Here's a way."
Amoeba's plan isn't without precedent. In fact, there's has been a medical marijuana clinic in the San Francisco location since last year. That's distinct from this proposed dispensary, however, since the clinic offers medical evaluations and paperwork while the dispensary will have pot on-site.
Of course, a dispensary seems like a natural fit for a record store. Not only will it bring foot traffic to a struggling business, but tokers might get the munchies for some new music.
The proposed dispensary will be at Amoeba's flagship location on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA. The plan involves renovating the store's jazz room and turning it into a haven for, ahem, jazz cigarettes. The permit will be handed out this fall, and Amoeba is competing against five other companies who are also seeking to open a dispensary.
This is apparently not simply a quirky passion project from Amoeba, but a business-minded move to stay financially solvent. "We need supplemental income," store co-owner David Prinz told the East Bay Express. "That's the real truth. This helps keep us open and enables us to do some amazing shit."
Prinz founded Amoeba in Berkley in 1990, and the business expanded to San Francisco in 1997 and Hollywood in 2001. That was right around the time that music sales began to go into free-fall due to illegal downloading. Despite these challenges, Prinz said, "Weed can help save music — absolutely. Here's a way."
Amoeba's plan isn't without precedent. In fact, there's has been a medical marijuana clinic in the San Francisco location since last year. That's distinct from this proposed dispensary, however, since the clinic offers medical evaluations and paperwork while the dispensary will have pot on-site.
Of course, a dispensary seems like a natural fit for a record store. Not only will it bring foot traffic to a struggling business, but tokers might get the munchies for some new music.