On Monday, May 15, Autumn, Hanna and Hans set off along the Pacific Coast Highway toward West Hollywood. It has to be something pretty special to lure us away from our beautiful Santa Barbara farm, but trust us—this was an event not to be missed. Our destination was theWOODS: the beautiful dispensary and lounge co-owned by Woody Harrelson on Santa Monica Boulevard. It was the store’s first-anniversary party, and we were invited!

“It was so fun to bring our team and family to such an exciting event,” our co-founder Hanna said. “It truly was a celebration, and I always love seeing Nate and Sarah, our Los Angeles team in action!”

The team’s excitement on the drive south was palpable. Firstly, who doesn’t love Woody Harrelson? The charming Texan has been entertaining us since his Cheers days and it seems that everyone who meets him has only positive things to say. Plus, we were excited to speak to him about our spray-free cannabis products and farming techniques. Woody is a huge fan of sungrown cannabis (more on that later) and an ally for our fellow farmers in Northern California.

OK, back to theWOODS…

theWOODS in WeHo

Expertly designed by Thomas Schoos, theWOODS is a unique part retail, part lounge concept. The 8,000-square-foot destination opened on May 13, 2022, and offers an unparalleled cannabis experience in the heart of West Hollywood. Schoos thoughtfully designed the retail space into different areas, offering everything from edibles, flower, pre-rolls, smoking accessories and more. There’s even a whole section dedicated to NorCals’ heritage growers and brands. It has an engaging, interactive retail display that lets customers get up close to the cannabis and see the texture and glistening trichomes for themselves. As you can imagine, we were thrilled to see Autumn Brands’ products prominently displayed on the shelves of such a beautiful location.

Co-founder and CFO Autumn Shelton with our pre-rolls at theWOODS.

“From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with such ambience and beauty,” our co-founder and CFO, Autumn, says. “Our products were all throughout the dispensary, which was really fantastic. And the vibrant colors of our packaging shine bright.”

Hans, our CEO, doesn’t often attend industry events, but he was impressed by the overall look and messaging of theWOODS. “It’s good for us to see how the retail space works and what we can do more to support stores like the WOODS,” he says.

We walked through the beautiful dispensary and out into the Ganja Giggle Garden, one of only two cannabis lounges in Los Angeles and the only outdoor consumption experience that offers luxurious two-story cabanas for the public to rent. This magical space feels like a utopian paradise, with our fellow guests mingling and chatting amongst the luscious tropical plants, Koi Pond and exquisite exotic birds. We grinned at each other; this was going to be a fun night. The energy of all the people coming through really made the event.

“The environment of theWoods party was extremely welcoming,” Hanna said. “Connecting with theWoods staff, getting feedback on our current products and sharing our sustainable farming practices was also fantastic.”

One of our favorite things is meeting new and existing customers and discussing our product range. We put so much love, attention and care into growing our cannabis to ensure our customers get the relief, tranquility and experience they want. We took extra care to ensure only our best products went into the curated Autumn Brands gift bags for the event’s guests to enjoy.

Hanna and Autumn with Woody Harrelson.

We Met Woody!

One of Hanna’s goals for the evening was to chat with Woody about Autumn Brands’ farming practices, including our commitment to a comprehensive spray-free biocontrol program. The spray-free approach allows for a PURE guarantee: pesticide-free, user-first, responsibly grown and eco-friendly. By establishing a harmonious, natural ecosystem, we’ve witnessed the remarkable presence of native California Ladybugs within our greenhouses that effectively eliminate pests.

As the afternoon turned to evening, our patience was rewarded when Woody stopped by our booth in the Ganja Giggle Garden to say hi. Hanna explained our sungrown greenhouses, the balance of our beneficial program and why we have chosen to be 100% spray-free.

“We also discussed our well water and reclaiming all of our drain water to recycle and reuse,” Hanna says. “It was great for us to share the same joy for responsible farming and keeping cannabis clean.”

And That’s a Wrap

We had a wonderful time at theWOODS party with our family and friends. On the drive home, we shared our favorite experiences of the evening.

“It was fun to be part of it and meet many people in and out of the industry,” Hans said.

Autumn followed, saying, “It was very special to make new connections and have conversations with our customers.

Hanna’s highlight was the opportunity to invite people to our farm to learn even more about Autumn Brands. “I want to continue to partner with others and look into future collaborations and keep pushing this industry towards sustainability and responsible business,” she says.

Thank you to our friends at Cannabis Now for the invitation.