Women Of Color First Cannabis Dispensary, Josephine & Billie's, With Brands From Jay-Z's The Parent Co, Curaleaf & More

Cannabis brand Josephine & Billie's announced the official grand opening of its Los Angeles location, Friday, Oct. 29^{th, 4-8 pm, where it} will offer an original speakeasy-style cannabis retail concept inspired by 'tea pads,' which were part of the rich history of cannabis in the African-American community in New York City and the jazz scene of the 1920s and ’30s. 

Josephine & Billie's will offer a wide range of cannabis products from brand partners such as Jay-Z’s Monogram; Cann, Curaleaf’s CURLF Select and Kiva Confections, all with special emphasis on POC-owned, queer-owned and women-owned brands including Ball Family Farms, Leune and California Rolls.

Launched With Women Of Color In Mind

The idea behind the brand, launched and led by CEO Whitney Beatty and business partner & COO Ebony Andersen, was to create an educational retail experience for women of color in Los Angeles.

"Most stores are designed and built by white people, with one perspective,” Andersen said. “And women of color rarely get the opportunity to feel comfortable in those spaces. But Josephine & Billie's was designed and built by, and for, women of color with that in mind.”

Furthermore, Josephine and Billie's is focused on providing various terpene profiles, therefore customers can find products based on simple effects such as "relief" or "focus.”

"Research shows that women are more anxious than men, and data shows that black women are facing the most anxiety — and yet we have not seen a dispensary focusing on this demographic,” Beatty said. "Josephine & Billie's is committed to being an educational space and community where Women of Color, and allies, feel safe and welcomed to learn about the healing benefits of cannabis."

Jay-Z Backed The Parent Company First To Support The Brand

Josephine & Billie's received its first official investment from The Parent Company's GRAMF social equity corporate venture fund, which seeks to discover and develop the industry's future entrepreneurs of color. The Parent Company manages the fund in partnership with an advisory committee led by The Parent Company's chief visionary officer, JAY-Z, and Desiree Perez, chief social equity officer.

"The Parent Company is committed to leveraging our financial, social, and cultural capital to create a more inclusive cannabis community," Troy Datcher, CEO of The Parent Company said in a statement. "Josephine & Billie's unique and necessary mission to develop a welcoming and educational retail experience, particularly for Women of Color, exemplifies why Whitney and Ebony are the exact types of entrepreneurs that we want to stand up and stand behind with our social equity fund as we focus on shaping this industry's future and uplifting all communities."

Josephine & Billie's, located at 1535 W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., will be open from 4:00 to 8 pm on Friday, October 29th for the grand opening.

After that, normal hours will be 11 am to 7 pm daily. 

Photo: Courtesy of Daniel Norin on Unsplash