Gnome Grown Organics > In 2013, just as marijuana started to become legal in the U.S., Megan Stone founded High Road Design Studio in Phoenix, Arizona as a response to the lack of innovative dispensaries. (In fact, global spending on legal cannabis is expected to hit $57 billion by 2027, with North America accounting for more than $47 billion, according to Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics.) The self-proclaimed grand dame of dispensary design is the mastermind behind a handful of projects, including two Gnome Grown Organics locations in Oregon City, Oregon. In the Beavercreek Road location, the design is dedicated to organic cannabis cultivation practices. Custom shadowboxes feature large wooden insects, resembling those vital to farming soil, while wool patchwork rugs and ceramic penny tiles line the floors. “The handcrafted nature of this space not only resonates with the core culture of cannabis users,” says Stone, “but it makes the store comfortable and approachable for new customers.”

Maitri > Stone also helmed the design of Maitri in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Custom millwork, vibrant furniture, rugs, and accent walls help to distinguish the various spaces, while Stone “put an artistic spin” on the standard ATM by surrounding it with colorful ribbon—adding both whimsy and privacy. The standout feature, however, is a 14-foot-tall document wall that amplifies the history of the town with photos combined with the text of the Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act. Stone adds that it “reinforces a sense of community by bringing the brand, mission, and history of the area to life in an impactful way.”

The Botanist > The goal for this expanding marijuana outlet was to get away from dispensaries “that looked like a cross between a pawn shop and a porn shop,” says Harris Damashek of cannabis investment company Acreage Holdings. “I [wanted] a store that my mother would be comfortable shopping in.” Spanning six locations, including its latest in Jamaica, Queens in New York and one in Worcester, Massachusetts (pictured), the Botanist leans into the greenery it sells with each store embodying a 19th-century greenhouse. Botanical walls made of preserved moss and plants is a staple across all Botanist locations and draws the eye to its minimalistic interiors. As marijuana laws throughout the country become more lax, the brand plans to open 75 design-forward dispensaries by the end of 2020, including new stores in Leominster and Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and Long Island, New York.

Photography by Richard Cadan and courtesy of the Botanist