Smoker Friendly Moves Into Cannabis Accessories

BOULDER, Colo. -- Locally based Smoker Friendly is adding cannabis accessories its offering following Colorado's legalization of recreational marijuana.

According to the Denver Post, Smoker Friendly plans to open as many as 10 new stores this year under the name Glass Werx, a chain that will sell a variety of pipes, bongs, grinders and vaporizers.

"We're really kind of equal opportunity," Smoker Friendly's Chief Operating Officer Dan Gallagher said. "Now that cannabis is more mainstream, it's a concept we'd like to expand on fairly rapidly."

The first Glass Werx store, in Nederland, opened last month. A second store in Pueblo opened this week. 

Gallagher said Glass Werx will have a different look and feel than ordinary marijuana accessories stores, commonly known as head shops. Glass Werx stores will feature contemporary industrial designs built with brick, glass and steel interiors.

"We want to create something that has a good vibe and a nice retail look that appeals to a broader range of customers," he said, including people who are new to marijuana or trying it again for the first time in decades.

The new outlets will come in two varieties: one focused mostly on cannabis accessories, and the other co-branded with Smoker Friendly to include tobacco products.

Smoker Friendly also is exploring the idea of selling marijuana itself, but hasn't yet made a decision, the newspaper reported.

"It would be a logical move for us to consider," Gallagher said. "When you look at our retail footprint, we sell gas and tobacco products, which are highly regulated sectors. We're comfortable operating in a regulated environment."

Smoker Friendly operates 90 corporate-owned stores in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, Utah and Wyoming. Another 850 stores in 38 states are operated by licensed retailers. Smoker Friendly's parent company also operates the Gasamat chain of gas stations and convenience stores.