O’Hara Shipe
Audio By Carbonatix
A seemingly endless line of people wrapped around the corner of South Hardy Drive and down several blocks of West Alameda Drive in Tempe on June 24. Excited chatter was drowned out by hip-hop beats expertly spun by DJ Jetsteen as the crowd slowly filtered through the Valley’s newest dispensary – Cookies.
Cookies bills itself as the world’s first legal $1 billion cannabis brand. From proprietary strains to bespoke clothing lines and hip-hop music to athlete sponsorships, Cookies has been redefining what it means to be a vertically integrated cannabis operation. But even with the brand’s immense success, Cookies cofounder and CEO Berner – the rapper formerly known as Gilbert Milam Jr. – said opening a dispensary in Tempe was one of his biggest achievements.
“You know, I grew up in Chandler, and Arizona has always been a big part of who I am,” Berner told Phoenix New Times. “I am proud to be bringing Cookies to the Valley.”
Cookies’ expansion into Arizona was made possible by a partnership with Alicia Deals, who was awarded a social equity cannabis license in 2022. Deals was one of just 26 applicants – out of a pool of 1,301 – to be randomly selected for the licenses.
Arizona’s social equity program was established under Proposition 207 in 2020. A provision in the ballot initiative sought to make a limited number of licenses available for individuals “from communities disproportionately impacted by the enforcement of previous marijuana laws.”
To be eligible, an applicant must have come from a low-income neighborhood and have a minor marijuana arrest record or an immediate family member with such a record. Deals’ father, Robert Deals, is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence for marijuana possession and other charges.
“Marijuana has taken a lot from my family, but having a license is how we are reclaiming what was lost,” Deals said.
Jonathan Stephens surveys the deli flower available for purchase at Cookies in Tempe.
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Cookies customers can get a close-up view of available flower and even take a whiff of the product through clear containers displayed in the dispensary.
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David Brown has been collecting Cookies’ clothing and merchandise for years. When asked what was his favorite part of the brand, he replied, “Fuck, everything is fire!”
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Cookies CEO Berner was on hand to sign autographs and take selfies with fans.
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Custom T-shirts with Robert Deals’ name on them were worn by Cookies staff. They served as a reminder of the true meaning of the day: reparations for the unjust enforcement of previous marijuana laws.
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A giant powder blue-and-white balloon display was the backdrop for a step-and-repeat wall.
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It was a battle of the swaggiest as Cookies enthusiasts showed off their best brand merch.
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DJ Jetsteen kept the party rolling with epic hip-hop mashups at the Cookies dispensary opening in Tempe.
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Some Cookies enthusiasts donned head-to-toe branded clothing and accessories.
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Ana Urias, a Pucks and Nirvana Center brand ambassador, was all smiles as she handed out free stickers and lighters.
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