ViolaSTL, a cannabis dispensary located at 2001 Olive St. in St. Louis, is the only African American-owned shop in the downtown area. The dispensary is owned by Dan Pettigrew & Abe Givins, Jamil Taylor, and former St. Louis University and NBA star, Larry Hughes. The ownership team has a passion for opening dispensaries in urban areas and believe that it is important for Black ownership in the industry, as few dispensaries are owned by African Americans. The American Civil Liberties Union found that Black people are 3.6 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession, even though both Black and white people use marijuana at similar rates.
Marijuana Business Daily, an industry newsletter, estimates that retail marijuana sales will reach $52.6 billion by 2026. Currently, there are few Black dispensary owners in the St. Louis area, Missouri or the United States. A 2017 survey by MjBizDaily concluded that only 4% of cannabis companies were owned by African Americans, while in a 2022 update, it reported that the share of businesses with owners who identified themselves as minorities was around 19%.
Jesce Horton, co-founder and board chairman of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, says that the biggest need for minority entrepreneurship is the licensing process and the ability for small businesses to first get into the market and then survive. However, ViolaSTL has overcome these obstacles and aims to bring hundreds of jobs to the city by the end of 2023. The dispensary is also committed to delivering a positive experience for its customers and will prioritize medical patients before transitioning to medical and recreational customers.
Taylor navigated the details of licensing and the store’s design and buildout, resulting in the highest-scoring application in the state. The dispensary is located across from CityPark, the new St. Louis City SC soccer stadium, and is adjacent to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police headquarters. The ownership team is excited to offer great products and customer experiences and is passionate about being involved in the local community.
