A New Fine Cannabis Dispensary in Times Square Gets the Hospitality Treatment
As laws concerning the sale and consumption of cannabis in New York State have shifted, retailers have largely taken an upscale approach to their bricks-and-mortar retail spaces along with developing complementary products and lifestyle experiences.
Tapping well-regarded interiors practices like Home Studios—known for its deft craft- and narrative-led restaurants, offices, and residences throughout the United States. The New York-based firm, helmed by the seasoned talent Oliver Haslegrave, was called upon to design the flagship of the newly established fine cannabis brand Charlie Fox.
Located in the heart of visually saturated and particularly hectic Times Square, the three-storey boutique unfolds like an upscale hotel or restaurant with a decidedly peaceful atmosphere. A clever spatial flow renders the 6,000-square-foot dispensary—the largest in the northeast United States—more intimate. Sophisticatedly varied display vignettes containing the product and paraphernalia lead into lounges and bar areas. Although reminiscent of the Selfridges department store in London or a long-established leather goods shop in Milan, the approach here is emphatically New York, with explicit nods to art deco architecture.
“We drew inspiration from old-world apothecaries, blending wooden shelving, vintage details, and floor-to-ceiling custom millwork,” Haslegrave says. “These elements evoke a sense of history and tradition, transporting visitors to a different era as if the space has been cherished and accumulated memories over time. We focused on using natural, enduring materials like wood, stone, and rich botanical details to reflect the Charlie Fox brand’s commitment to organic quality, making the connection between product and environment.”
The brand prides itself on producing a premium product that is entirely sourced, as the law mandates, from New York state growers and that has a lower dose of THC so customers—both novices and connoisseurs—have better control over their experiences. Emphasizing the new company’s luxury-lifestyle and quality-ingredients approach, the flagship has a suite of sommelier-level services.
“Every element, from the textures to the finishes, was thoughtfully chosen to evoke a feeling of craftsmanship, as if the space has been carefully preserved over time, fostering a connection to the past while offering a fresh, modern retail experience,” Haslegrave says. Home Studios brought in both feminine and masculine design cues to evoke the brand’s dualistic identity: accessibility and refinement, strength and softness, tradition and modernity.
The entry is intended to bring regulars or those simply venturing off the street on a journey of discovery. On the main floor, counter and wall cabinets display the product, while the second floor contains a cozier arrangement of banquettes where budtenders conduct one-on-one sampling appointments to demystify the stigmas surrounding the consumption of cannabis through better education.
“A big design objective for us was to emphasize personalized service, quality product, and thoughtful customer experiences via strategic and inspiring spatial details,” Haslegrave says. “With the aim of creating a multifaceted retail experience that promotes connection, communication, and flexibility, encouraging guests to explore and engage with products, the overall layout offers a fluid, comfortable, and transportive environment.”
