The San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles has subtly championed cannabis legalization and consumption for decades. Captain Ed’s is the oldest operating head shop in America, and legends like Jack Herer and many other old school advocates could be found there educating people on the uses of cannabis well before the days of Prop 215. Now, not too far away, the first SoCal luxury cannabis retail experience has opened its doors. The Atrium is a beautiful, light-filled 5,250-square-foot dispensary exclusively featuring top-shelf products displayed in shiny glass cases on polished marble counters. Designed by Julia Wong, the new space is filled with plants and a living wall created by Rolling Greens.
Their unique location gives them access to a demographic of southern California culture that combines the locals only aspect of this part of LA with the canna-curious tourist, as it’s also in the gateway to many epic beaches at the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. While the age range of the locals who use cannabis in this area is broad, the proximity to nearby towns Woodland Hills, Topanga, Calabasas and Thousand Oaks, opens the Atrium up to more mid to upper class clientele who are interested in health, beauty and wellness products. (The Kardashians live in Calabasas, if that helps give you an indication of some of the types of people in these areas.)
The high-end retail destination will be the first dispensary to feature a personal shopping service, a "cannabis concierge" who will guide shoppers through the classy selection of California products including the highest quality California grown cannabis. It very much feels like walking into a Barney's, but with cannabis. With a variety of ways to consume, the cannabis boutique includes flower, concentrates, edibles, and topicals from trusted brands including Papa & Barkley, Kiva Confections, Beboe, Apothecanna, Raw Gardens, 710 Labs and Canndescent.
Atrium will soon be introducing an apothecary staffed with trained estheticians, featuring cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) beauty products, in addition to a wellness bar serving herbal tonics and elixirs. The dispensary design is also a welcoming space for in-store events, including health and wellness classes to learn more about the products and benefits of cannabis. While I visited the location, I observed two customers, both senior citizens, receiving helpful information from their knowledgeable staff. The Atrium is now open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Atrium
5441 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA 91367