Evanston has opened its second cannabis dispensary at the southern edge of the city on the corner of Chicago Avenue and Howard Street through a partnership between OKAY Cannabis and West Town Bakery.
The new shop houses the two businesses with OKAY set behind the bakery serving its signature cakeballs alongside breakfast foods, sandwiches and other items. None of the items in the bakery are infused with cannabis but those interested can buy those products in the dispensary.
A vibrant neon sign on the bakery’s back wall identifies the entrance to the dispensary.
OKAY CEO Ameya Pawar cut the ribbon , officially opening the third tandem location with West Town. Other locations include the West Town neighborhood in Chicago and Wheeling.
The business name comes from Pawar’s idea that you don’t have to use cannabis to enjoy the space in the same way you don’t have to enjoy alcohol to go out to a restaurant or bar.
“You’re okay, we’re okay and most importantly, you’re okay here,” he said. “Adding hospitality creates space for new cannabis users and meets them where they’re at.”
Evanston’s 8th Ward Alderperson Devon Reid was in attendance for the ribbon cutting and expressed his excitement for the city to house another dispensary whose taxes will go toward funding the city’s reparations efforts.
“I’m really excited about this,” said Reid, clad in a woven, striped Baja hoodie, referred to as a “drug rug” on many sites that sell them. “Not just because I look like someone who might start my day with cannabis and pastries.”
Other revenue streams for the fund include $1 million a year for the next 10 years from the city’s real estate transfer tax as well as private donations. Exact revenues from the 3% recreational cannabis tax are unavailable as state law requires a minimum number of dispensaries to contribute before releasing the information in order to protect their privacy.
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who attended the ribbon cutting, said the business, which is working with the state on a program to hire the formerly incarcerated, helps combat the negative impacts of the war on drugs at every angle.
The business is one aspect of the One Howard Street plan, an ongoing project between Evanston and the Rogers Park Business Alliance to revitalize the area, which sits steps from the Howard L Station. Evanston City Council adopted the plan during its Feb. 12 meeting.
Pawar hopes the success of partnerships like OKAY and West Town can serve as a blueprint for other businesses looking to benefit from and grow along with the cannabis industry. He noted the significance of a minority-owned business opening during Black History Month whose profits will be used to better the lives of Evanston’s Black residents and reverse some of the historic harms perpetuated against them.
“Profit and purpose don’t have to be at odds,” Pawar said.
Chicagoland could become the Napa Valley of cannabis, according to Pawar, if steps are taken to combine the areas’ food tourism scene and its recreational cannabis. He said he would love to see an integration of fine dining and cannabis.
To achieve this, Pawar pitched a partnership between the cannabis industry, economic development agency World Business Chicago and Choose Chicago, which manages the city’s tourism. He hopes to open three to four more locations as the company grows.
“It’s such an incredible opportunity to take something and reverse the war on drugs by turning it on its head,” he said. “We’re ready and willing to do this.”
Thebakery opens every day at 7 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 p.m. on Sunday. The dispensary opens at 9 a.m. each day and closes alongside the bakery.
