Go inside the high-end purveyor’s first-ever “wellness” store, an outpost on Abbot Kinney
Words by NICOLA FUMO
Los Angeles’ legal cannabis landscape is becoming increasingly stylish. Last month, the fashion-forward department store Barneys New York debuted a luxury pot shop — aptly named The High End — at its Beverly Hills flagship. Now, Venice welcomes the first-ever Dosist store, a jewel box of white-washed maple and earthy limestone that proffers vape pens in a space previously occupied by a high-fashion sunglasses brand. These elevated shopping experiences are a natural consequence of the plant’s transition from stigmatized drug to full-blown “lifestyle product.”
These elevated shopping experiences are a natural consequence of the plant’s transition from stigmatized drug to full-blown “lifestyle product”
As its name suggests, Dosist’s “thing” is dose control. Through its proprietary, medical-grade “dose pens,” users are delivered exactly 2.25mg with each inhale, no matter how long you pull or how deeply you inhale. A slight vibration lets you know you’ve completed the dose. Depending on your needs, you can continue dosing until you reach your desired effect. The brand suggests no more than three doses per hour, but this author can attest to using far more than three doses in an hour. As CEO Gunner Winston told me at a walkthrough of the new space: “If you’re looking to get baked, we’re probably not your brand.”
As CEO Gunner Winston told me at a walkthrough of the new space: “If you’re looking to get baked, we’re probably not your brand”
A harmony of strong branding, wide distribution and startup buzz has propelled the company to become one of the most recognizable in the legal cannabis space, racking up accolades that include a spot on Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2018 in the health sector. You read that right: the health sector.
Legal weed can be lumped into two buckets: recreational and medical, with recreation generally corresponding to intoxication or altered states (“getting baked”), and medical covering health needs (including the sprawling and vague category we’ve come to call “wellness”). Dosist falls in the latter.
“From the start, Dosist has been and continues to be 100 percent focused on the wellness side of cannabis use,” said Winston of the brand, which was founded in 2016 in Los Angeles. “Dose control is imperative to effectively using cannabis as a therapeutic tool,” he added, explaining Dosist’s formulas aim to deliver health benefits without the “sometimes overwhelming effects of THC.” The pens come in six formulas named not by strain, but by intended effect: bliss, sleep, calm, relief, passion and arousal. “Our products are engineered to take the guesswork out of cannabis treatment and create consistent, safe and effective results for our consumers,” Winston said.
Because of marijuana’s hazy, unregulated past, companies looking to make waves in the legal cannabis space have a lot of consumer education to catch up on. “There is still so much misconception and stigma that exists around this amazing plant,” Winston says. “It is imperative for us to ensure we are always educating about its potential as a powerful therapeutic tool.” Which brings us to the Venice shop, or, as the company bills it, “wellness experience.” Throughout our conversation, Winston stresses that the space is not primarily for selling product (though you can shop the range). Its primary function is education, with the powerful side effect of increased brand awareness. “Abbot Kinney is without a doubt the perfect location for Dosist to launch our first wellness experience. It’s an iconic retail location, a globally recognized wellness locale, and a ‘must stop’ destination for anyone visiting Los Angeles.”
The space was designed entirely by the Dosist team, aesthetically mirroring the minimal-yet-welcoming design of its products and packaging. To enter, you walk from the populated street through an open-air tunnel with the intent of physically (and mentally) transitioning you from the hubbub of Abbot Kinney to the serene world of Dosist. Be sure to bring an up-to-date ID, because to enter the space you’ll need to provide proof that you’re over 21. Once you’ve been checked in with a Dosist “guide,” you’re in.
The pens come in six formulas named not by strain, but by intended effect: bliss, sleep, calm, relief, passion and arousal
Guests are encouraged to explore each of the formulas in depth, and consult a staffer for recommendations and clarification. “This Dosist flagship space is really a brand moment and truly our opportunity to bring our brand to life, no different than how Chanel, Nike or Apple does,” Winston says. 1423 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 424-252-9466.
April 24, 2019
