Canada: ‘420 Lounge’ Coming To Downtown Guelph

Doobius1

Well-Known Member
Ya I am getting busy now after this bitch of a winter. I am only 20-30 minutes away. Im game if we can make it happen. Summertime is nice in Orillia. Good farmers market at library on Sat. Anybody else want to join us, I will scope it out for us in advance. I am in there almost every day with my work. This vid is a classic in these parts

 

Flash63

Well-Known Member
‘I am like every other merchant’ downtown, says Guelph marijuana lounge proprietor

Waiting to be smoked
Troy Bridgeman, Special to the Mercury A bud of marijuana waiting to be smoked in the DLR 420 Lounge
Troy Bridgeman
GUELPH—The owner of a new marijuana lounge in downtown Guelph says "the motivation for the idea is purely selfish."

"It is to have a place for myself and people like me, who have medical prescriptions, to hang out and smoke marijuana," said Anthony (Tony) Veder, owner of the DLR 420 Vapour Lounge on Macdonell Street. Veder made the comments in an interview just after the opening of the operation. He said he's been reluctant to talk to reporters about his latest venture but wanted to clarify his motives and quell any rumours.

Veder said he isn't a pot legalization crusader or looking for attention but is delighted with the response from neighbouring businesses and the wider community.

"I haven't heard anything negative and I was expecting to hear negative," said Veder.

"The response has been very positive."

He said he even received support in a tweet from Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie.

"He basically said that he believes government shouldn't be involved in people's personal or business lives and he wished me well," said Veder. "My response to him was: 'Your Worship, thank you for those encouraging comments.'"

Guthrie confirmed he did send the tweet but expressed his hope that only medical marijuana smokers will be using the service.

"Will I go to this establishment? No," said Guthrie. "Do I want my kids going to this establishment? No, but as long as it is a legal establishment and they are playing by the rules the government has no business interfering in their right to do business."

Veder said he understands marijuana use is still a controversial issue and that's why he is proceeding slowly and cooperatively with city officials.

"This is a work in progress from my standpoint and also from the standpoint of the City (of Guelph)," said Veder. "It is very important to point out that I have been very open with the city and they have been very helpful."

The doors opened on April 3, Good Friday, but, other than for a notice written on a piece of cardboard and posted in the window, there are no obvious signs the location, which used to be a popular clothing boutique, has been converted to a marijuana lounge.

Veder said he is re-launching the clothing store online with a new marketing campaign and a new DLR clothing store in Toronto.

"That is the true love of my life," said Veder. "I am a businessman. My family bought this building. We care about this downtown. We have invested in this downtown.

"So, I am not some weird guy. I am like every other merchant down here."

The windows of the lounge remain papered over until Veder comes to an understanding with the municipality's bylaw department about signs and visibility.

"I can't really do anything with my windows right now because of health departments and different regulations," he said. "So, I don't know how much I have to cover. As policies develop we are going to be part of the development of those policies."

Veder has styled the lounge around the coffee-house model popular in Holland where he lived for a while and has family.

"That is where I learned about the coffee shop culture," Veder said. "That it is OK to relax, have a cup of coffee and smoke marijuana with your friends. There is nothing wrong with it."

The lounge is open to anyone over the age of 18 with a prescription to smoke medical marijuana but Veder acknowledges he has no authority to ask people about their private medical information and therefore he does not ask to see their prescriptions.

Members bring their own marijuana.

Veder rents bongs and vaporizers to patrons to use during their visit and plans to sell pot-smoking equipment. However, he will not be selling marijuana nor will he allow it to be sold on the premises. There is also no alcohol permitted or drunkenness.

"This is a private club," he said. "There is a $5 daily membership fee that must be paid. There are no tobacco products allowed including e-cigarettes. There is no mooching, no selling and a $2 fee if you bring food in from other places. Eventually, we will offer video games in the green room and have tons of board games to play like a board games café, vapour lounge."

Veder said opening a lounge like this has been a dream of his for nearly 20 years and he believes it will eventually attract many other pot smokers in the community.

"It's actually been slow," he said. "It's all so new for everybody they don't know what to do. I think everybody is scared. They don't know how to take it. They have been sent underground for so many years. When you're taught how to hide, you hide."


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torontoke

Well-Known Member
$5 daily membership seems like a bit much imo
I dont think many medical mj patients will be willing to spend 5 just to sit around and play board games.
Id rather just smoke at home and invite people over. But i admit im a cheap ass lol
Cant really see this place stayin open long.
 

The Hippy

Well-Known Member
I will go over there at some time. It's about 45 min from me. So a bit far just for a smoke. But I will go, cause you should try things at least once right.....well good things anyway.
 

SirLoweed

Well-Known Member
I'm back at work now, not excited about calling them in my open office work environment. "So do you have a volcano I can vape from at lunch?"

Meh, back to smoking in the car or not smoking at all.
 
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