A coffee shop is set to formally state its case to the city, explaining why it should be Denver’s first business to allow on-site marijuana use.
The Coffee Joint applied for a social consumption license late last year. Friday, a hearing officer will listen to the business owners, Rita Tsalyuk and Kirill Merkulov, as they explain whether they’ve met all the requirements for a license and show that they have the community’s support.
The public hearing is much like a liquor license hearing, or a pot shop hearing, Dan Rowland with the Department of Excise & Licenses told Next. The hearing officer will make a decision about the application within the next few weeks, and send a recommendation to the city. Denver will consider that, and any objections filed against the license, and then make a final ruling.
If Denver okays the application, the city and the owners will move on to the inspection phase.
Anyone who wants to go to this, or any social consumption business, would have to be 21-years-old. These businesses are also BYOP – bring your own pot.
Legally, no one could smoke at The Coffee Joint because this particular business does not have a patio, but people could vape and eat edibles. The shop also plans to offer coffee, tea and other drinks, as well as cookies or other desserts.
If and when it opens, the shop will be located in the 1100 block of Yuma Street.
Friday’s hearing will be held at 1:30 in the Wellington Webb building.
Rowland says that the licensing office received its second application for a social pot business on Wednesday. Utopia wants to be Denver's first legal cannabis spa, and they say they'd offer:
- Cannabis-infused massages
- Ganja Yoga
- Meditation
- Cannabis consumption areas
- Beauty products
- Cooking classes
- Private retreats
- Membership options
