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WildEye Cannabis, a lounge dedicated to the consumption of cannabidiols and non-alcoholic drinks infused with cannabidiols, is scheduled to open Friday in Fountain Square.
Co-owned by Nick Brown and Scott Hughes, the business will open at 1026 Shelby St., Suite C, a storefront that faces Woodlawn Avenue east of Bovaconti Coffee.
“We’re going to be in Fountain Square, so we’re going to focus on being a bar- and lounge-type atmosphere,” Brown said. “And it’s going to be a show floor for some of the cool items that we’ve found.”
“We call it a non-alcoholic alternative for a night out,” Hughes said.
The 900-square-foot shop will be open to customers 21 and older.
In 2018, Indiana legalized the sale of cannabidiol, also known as CBD, a substance derived from the cannabis sativa plant.
Cannabis refers to all products derived from the cannabis sativa plant. Marijuana, which is illegal in Indiana and on a federal level, refers to parts or products of the cannabis sativa plant that contain substantial amounts of THC—the psychoactive agent that causes intoxication.
Cannabidiols sold and purchased in Indiana must contain less than 0.3% of THC.
“A lot of what we focus on is education and wellness,” Hughes said. “As part of that, the word ‘cannabis’ applies to all of the [cannabidiols]. … There’s more than 120 cannabidiols out there that are available for us to use legally.”
“We’re trying to introduce cannabis to a community that it’s foreign to because of a prohibition,” Brown said.
Brown and Hughes describe WildEye Cannabis as a “dab bar,” offering an initial dab, or the vaping of an essential oil of the cannabis plant, for free to visitors at the shop.
“We have a situation where people can sit down and pick the variety they want and do consumption of it on site,” Brown said.
Brown owns WildEye Wellness, a CBD shop at 2018 E. 46th St. that opened in 2021. WildEye Wellness bills itself as “Indy’s Favorite Cannabis Dispensary.”
“I have a lot of that Boomer generation coming in [to buy cannabidiols] to replace opioids and arthritis medicines,” Brown said.
The recreational use of cannabis as an intoxicant is legal in 21 states, including Illinois and Michigan.
Brown said he believes Indiana should join its neighboring states, partially to reap tax revenue.
“The people inside our state are leaving to spend money that could be spent here,” he said.
WildEye Cannabis is opening in a neighborhood where CBD retailers are prevalent.
When Higher Grade smoke shop opens this spring at 1126 Prospect St., Fountain Square will be home to four CBD retailers. Tillberry’s Fountain Square Vape and More, 1022 Virginia Ave.; Popular Smoke & Vape Indy, 874 Virginia Ave.; and Mona, which shares a space with Rooftop Fruit gift shop at 1058 Virginia Ave., are existing shops.
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Baby steps! But some steps are better than none.
Just think of what all the revenue could be used for? Im certain that politicians would take the money to support other political needs instead of asking the people what the money should go towards funding. This could pay to keep homeless shelters open and mental health clinics as well. Not to pour money into expanding the convention center and other multi million dollar projects that’s already funded by BIG pockets’
Squandered.
That’s right!!
How many faux-weed stores does Fountain Square need? This is like Scotty Fadness and Pizza Parlors