Kush Groove
The Kush Groove brand was established in 2011 by Michael Pires and Marcus Johnson-Smith as an expression brand for city stoners. City streets, all over the world, have seen the growth of the new age urban hippie—young, fresh, and dynamic. The Kush Groove brand is a blend of style and culture, expressed through an urban fashion savvy.
Recently, Kush Groove was invited to join the Ujima Good Business Alliance, which consists of an interview process that verifies that local organizations are operationalizing social justice through our minimum 36 Good Business Standards.
Recently, Kush Groove was invited to join the Ujima Good Business Alliance, which consists of an interview process that verifies that local organizations are operationalizing social justice through our minimum 36 Good Business Standards.
Following their acceptance into the Ujima Good Business Alliance, Paige Curtis, Culture & Communications Manager at Ujima caught up with Marcus Johnson-Smith, co-founder at Kush Groove, to learn more about their commitment to equity within the cannabis space.
Paige Curtis: Can you talk about the need for a business like Kush Groove in Boston?
Marcus Johnson-Smith: I think the need really came from wanting to create a platform for myself and my partner to express ourselves and others who enjoy cannabis products. Our business is merchandise and accessories within the cannabis lifestyle space.
What was it like to start this business?
Marcus: So at the time we founded this company, I was around 25 years old and just getting out of graduate school. But I had pursued other entrepreneurial ideas before this, and so had my partner. So Kush Groove happened after previous attempts at starting a business.
What are you most excited about in regards to joining the business alliance?
Marcus: We’re most excited by the level of community for entrepreneurs, because we've operated as a business really focused on the communities we serve. But we haven't spent too much time as entrepreneurs in Boston’s entrepreneurial community. The Alliance allows us to be part of a community of other entrepreneurs who look like us, or are working on similar businesses in the neighborhoods that we operate in.
What are your long term goals for Kush Groove?
The brand is so multifaceted and we kind of look at it as having cannabis retail at the center of our enterprise business model, and with other extensions of the business – merchandise and accessories – under the same brand umbrella. That’s really where our focus is long term.
Anything upcoming for the business that you’d like to share?
We'll be opening our first cannabis dispensary in September, and a second one in December or early 2023. So we'll be selling cannabis products and Kush Groove branded merchandise and accessories. So that'll be our newest retail operation. We had two retail operations in the past, but we closed those to consolidate our retail businesses. We’ve been at the forefront of urban cannabis brands for a long time, so it’s exciting to see our vision come to fruition. ■
Ujima Good Business Alliance is committed to advancing social and economic justice through the public and private sectors. The Alliance is a powerful platform for local businesses to connect, cooperate, and shine. As a member, companies receive support and resources to help them thrive. Learn more about the Alliance at www.ujimaboston.com/ugba.