San Francisco’s staple cannabis brand is debuting a new flagship store in NYC this weekend. Here’s what you need to know about the Herald Square Cookies store’s grand opening.
Cookies’ East Coast takeover continues this weekend in New York City, the weed capital of the world. The massive brand is scheduled to open its Manhattan flagship store in Herald Square on Sunday, Oct. 30. Berner himself promises to be there for a meet-and-greet from 12 noon to 5 p.m., with the store itself staying open until 8 p.m.
Come early and be ready for long lines—think of how past generations lined up before dawn to get the latest iPhone or Nike releases. The Cookies brand now carries similar clout. This is an all-ages event, so no ID necessary, since Cookies cannabis will not be for sale.
The store will be selling everything Cookies… Except for weed. Nobody’s been licensed to sell in New York yet, so you can spend your cash on authentic Cookies gear but not the real stuff—yet.
If you don’t know Cookies, a multi-state cannabis operation, it’s an essential player in the mainstreaming of marijuana culture. The brand is led by CEO, indie rapper, and former budtender Berner, who ranked top-five in Zack O’Malley Greenberg’s latest report on Hip-Hop’s wealthiest artists.
Check out our most popular Cookies’ FAQs below to get familiar with the brand. With some investors valuing the company at nearly a billion dollars, here’s the rundown on why Cookies makes waves in whatever cannabis market it enters.
Where is the Cookies New York store located?
Head to 958 6th Ave. in New York City, on the corner of 35th Street a couple blocks from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. You can’t miss the giant baby blue mural, or five-story building, which will include cannabis education and a cultural hub.
Cookies SF in Herald Square will be open seven days a week—10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Learn more at cookies.co.
What is Cookies cannabis?
Cookies is a San Francisco-based company that provides “cannabis curated for the connoisseur.”
According to the company’s Leafly brand hub, “Cookies began with two visionary founders: Grow expert Jai, and entrepreneur Berner, whose Girl Scout Cookies (GSC) remains one of the most sought-after cannabis strains in the world. From the earliest days in a San Francisco garage to global growth, our goal has remained the same: authenticity and innovative genetics.”
Why is the new Cookies store big news?
Located in Herald Square, one of Manhattan’s liveliest commercial hubs, Cookies SF store will be a prime tourist attraction for cannabis lovers from abroad, as well as for native New Yorkers and domestic visitors.
The attention to detail that sets their cannabis apart also shows in their merch designs. So while you can’t purchase the brand’s legendary bud at the Herald Square store, you can stock up on collector’s items like this Psilocybin New York Pizza t-shirt. Or these fire NY-centric pieces.
Will the Cookies SF store in New York sell legal weed?
Not yet. So don’t show up to this weekend’s grand opening expecting to grab an authentic bag of Cookies treats. But the brand does hope to get a license when they become available to out-of-state operators like themselves. New York law requires that state residents with cannabis convictions will be the first to get dispensary licenses later this year. In a statement released on Twitter this week, the company addressed this question specifically:
“Will this store sell cannabis? Not at this time. This location is a Cookies SF store that will sell Cookies clothing, accessories, and CBD products. Do we plan to sell cannabis in the future? Yes, once we can legally apply for a license to sell cannabis in the state of New York.”
Cookies via Twitter
Is Cookies SF store in New York hiring?
“We are not accepting any more applications at this time,” Cookies said in a statement on Thursday. However, once the store is open, you can come to drop off your resume.
Cookies made headlines earlier this year by inviting Florida residents to bring their resumes to meet Berner himself in hopes of joining the Cookies team in the Sunshine State.
Will Berner be at the store’s grand opening?
According to a news release from Cookies: “To celebrate the grand opening on Sunday, Oct. 30, Cookies SF will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:45 a.m. followed by a meet-and-greet with Berner from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Those interested in attending and browsing the store’s iconic offerings on opening day may do so by signing up here.”
Does Cookies sell or market cannabis to kids?
No. But a community group in San Diego is refusing to approve zoning for a new Cookies dispensary in their town because the company’s name and brand colors are accused of being marketed to children.
Crystal Millican, vice president of retail for Cookies, said the company’s signature blue has a calming effect and the name refers to the many varieties of cookies that are available on the market, which MIllican said is similar to cannabis for consumers looking for their favorite flavor.
“We don’t market to anyone other than our customers and patients. We obviously hear the concerns, and we will work to win over any neighborhood association.”
Cookies VP Crystal Millican to the San Diego Union-Tribune
The official name of the store is Cookies SF, not Cookies Cannabis. The store will celebrate the cultural impact of cannabis, while offering legal CBD products, Cookies accessories, and official merch.
Is Cookies cannabis available in licensed NY dispensaries?
Not officially. Right now, the closest licensed Cookies sellers to New York City are across the Hudson River in New Jersey. RISE in Bloomfield, Zen Leaf in Elizabeth, and The Apothecarium in Lodi are all within 30 miles of New York City. Free online ordering is available through Leafly at Zen Leaf and RISE.
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Is Cookies cannabis available in New York’s gray market?
Absolutely. But there are a lot of fake Cookies products out there. Finding authentic or fresh Cookies products is a crapshoot.
Whether your source is a guy in Cali who buys from stores out there and ships it East for a fee, or the dozens of trucks, bodegas, and bootleg dispensaries currently operating in the legal gray area, there’s no way to be sure. So if you wouldn’t buy your purse or leather jacket from a street table, just wait for the real deal to hit stores in the coming months.
How to tell if you’re smoking authentic Cookies
The only way to know for sure that you’re smoking authentic Cookies is to buy it from a licensed seller in one of the states that have approved the brand’s stores and products. New Jersey and Massachusetts are nearby options for New Yorkers who can’t wait.
What sets Cookies apart from other cannabis brands?
In February 2022, Business Insider dubbed Cookies “America’s most popular weed brand.” Cannabis investor Jesse Redmond of Green Giant summed up Cookies’ unique hold on the industry like this: “Cookies is the most recognized brand in cannabis.”
