One of the first things you notice upon entering Rebelle, currently the closest cannabis dispensary to the New York state border, is how informative it is. Not only about specific products which are organized by type and given illuminating descriptions, but also about cannabis in a more general sense. Giant posters throughout the space provide information on THC and the cannabis plant through custom-made graphics and diagrams. It’s clear that the space is geared toward educating consumers as much as selling them products—something that may be especially helpful for those new to marijuana.
That’s carried through into other parts of the Berkshires dispensary as well. One of the most striking features of Rebelle is a long bar that runs underneath a window on the far wall. Along the length of the bar, glass canisters contain different varieties of buds that guests can examine, see and smell. Next to each canister, a placard provides more information on what’s on display as well as the plant’s general effect on a user.
“That’s a huge feature for us,” says Kenny Higginbotham, Rebelle’s General Manager. “To provide a visual representation and the smell.”
Opened by three NYC-based women—Charlotte Hanna, Geraldine Hessler and Penelope Nam-Stephen—in the middle of the pandemic in September, Rebelle is meant to be something akin to a cannabis wellness and lifestyle brand. As a result, alongside the more typical products that you’d expect to find at a dispensary, things like vapes, seltzers, edibles and tinctures, are luxury goods like leather “stash bags” for carrying your products.
Behind the counter, a giant menu board displays the names of the “flowers” currently on the menu. For more information on the different strains, visitors can approach one of the “budtenders” manning the counter for more information. “They’re just like a bartender,” says Higginbotham. “They talk to customers and make sure they get what they need.” Those who prefer to minimize their interactions can pre-order products from the dispensary’s site and then pick them up in person without having to wait in line.