Freddy Shands (pictured above)
Entertainment-company founder and CEO, Northeast Bronx
How long have you smoked weed?
For the last 52 years, and I’m 61. I was around when they had weed in brown-paper bags. So I’m not only an avid smoker; I’m a connoisseur.
So what’d you think of the dispensary?
First of all, it is so tacky. It looks like a Waffle House. Also, it’s the yuppie crowd. They put this in the area where the white people are, where the money’s at. So now I gotta go down into Manhattan, into their area, to buy their weed. The government figures they’ll close all the smoke shops and no one will have a choice but to go to the places they open. But I know a lot of people that won’t go. They don’t have enough money. Half of them just have regular jobs, delivering food or whatever. They’ll go to the regular shops and get their $20 bags. They’re not going to pay those high prices. It’s highway robbery.
Will you go back?
Yes. Because they have good weed, my dear. Excellent weed.
Magdalena Ruz Palma
Psychologist, Santiago, Chile
Pablo Paredes
Budtender, Harlem
What’s it like working here?
Growing up, due to my circumstances, I used to sell weed. So when I found out what was going on through news, I just emailed them. And thank God, thank the universe, I was able to get an interview. Being able to do this legally, the right way, correctly, is funny. There’s a lot of enjoyment and a love and a passion for it.
Alexis Ramirez
Administrative assistant, Crown Heights
Matias Montecinos
Software developer, Santiago, Chile
Jasmine Vegas
Singer, Paris
How’d you hear about this?
I came with a friend. I’m not a smoker myself. Well, I was, but a couple years ago I had an accident where I had a bit of wine and then a joint. I got very dizzy and fell and sprained my finger and coccyx. I thought, Jas, you’re too old to be doing this. I decided it’s gotta be one or the other, and I couldn’t give up wine.
Matthew Adams
Cultural strategist, Midtown East
Holland Burkert
Production coordinator, East Village
Dom Richards
Musician, Windsor Terrace
Rebecca Cohen
Account coordinator, Gramercy Park
Stephen Jackson
Freelancer, Bushwick
Chloe King
Coffee-equipment technician, Ridgewood
Patricia Wiese
Copywriter, Soho
So what’d you get?
The peach gummies. For my friend, mostly. I have to be careful because I suffer from type-two narcolepsy. Basically, if I don’t make myself busy with something or keep my attention on something, I will end up falling asleep. So I play a lot of Candy Crush on the train.
Alex Vanier
Sales-strategy director, Lower East Side
Lucy Nalen
Book publicist, West Village
Irene Diaz
Chief administrative officer, Riverdale
Micheal Osorio
Test engineer, Bellmore
Jude Gorjanc
First assistant director, Bedford-Stuyvesant
What were the prices like?
I have nothing recent to compare it to, but I got ten joints for somewhere around $100, which seemed pretty good to me. Especially because one toke is enough.
Carly Clayton
Music distributor, Upper West Side
Magdalena Ruz Palma
Psychologist, Santiago, Chile
Pablo Paredes
Budtender, Harlem
What’s it like working here?
Growing up, due to my circumstances, I used to sell weed. So when I found out what was going on through news, I just emailed them. And thank God, thank the universe, I was able to get an interview. Being able to do this legally, the right way, correctly, is funny. There’s a lot of enjoyment and a love and a passion for it.
Alexis Ramirez
Administrative assistant, Crown Heights
Matias Montecinos
Software developer, Santiago, Chile
Jasmine Vegas
Singer, Paris
How’d you hear about this?
I came with a friend. I’m not a smoker myself. Well, I was, but a couple years ago I had an accident where I had a bit of wine and then a joint. I got very dizzy and fell and sprained my finger and coccyx. I thought, Jas, you’re too old to be doing this. I decided it’s gotta be one or the other, and I couldn’t give up wine.
Matthew Adams
Cultural strategist, Midtown East
Holland Burkert
Production coordinator, East Village
Dom Richards
Musician, Windsor Terrace
Rebecca Cohen
Account coordinator, Gramercy Park
Stephen Jackson
Freelancer, Bushwick
Chloe King
Coffee-equipment technician, Ridgewood
Patricia Wiese
Copywriter, Soho
So what’d you get?
The peach gummies. For my friend, mostly. I have to be careful because I suffer from type-two narcolepsy. Basically, if I don’t make myself busy with something or keep my attention on something, I will end up falling asleep. So I play a lot of Candy Crush on the train.
Alex Vanier
Sales-strategy director, Lower East Side
Lucy Nalen
Book publicist, West Village
Irene Diaz
Chief administrative officer, Riverdale
Micheal Osorio
Test engineer, Bellmore
Jude Gorjanc
First assistant director, Bedford-Stuyvesant
What were the prices like?
I have nothing recent to compare it to, but I got ten joints for somewhere around $100, which seemed pretty good to me. Especially because one toke is enough.
Carly Clayton
Music distributor, Upper West Side
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- The Look Book Goes to the U.S. Open
- The Look Book Goes to East Hampton Library’s Authors Night
