You walk into a clean, air conditioned and minimalist space with a sleek, modern design throughout. There is open space, clean lines and and bright lighting. You may think you are walking into an Apple store, but suddenly a budtender asks you what strain you may be looking for today. You are in fact not shopping for an iphone, but rather you are in one of the thousands of cannabis dispensaries that have opened in the US over the last decade.
Why Would A Dispensary Owner Mimic The Apple Store Aesthetic?
Cannabis dispensaries often adopt a design aesthetic similar to Apple stores for several reasons:
- Legitimacy and professionalism: By emulating the clean, modern look of Apple stores, dispensaries aim to distance themselves from the stereotypical “head shop” image and present themselves as legitimate, professional businesses. By adopting a familiar, mainstream retail aesthetic, dispensaries contribute to destigmatizing cannabis use.
- Focus on product: Like Apple stores, the minimalist design puts the focus squarely on the products, allowing them to stand out. While most of the products are consumables such as edibles or flower, there is now a high tech element to cannabis shopping now, with a higher end 510 vape battery selection – many models now include digital LED screens, and some even have smartphone apps to track your consumption.
- Education: The open layout facilitates customer-staff interactions, allowing for product education similar to how Apple store employees assist customers. Customer support associates, often referred to as “budtenders,” may spot someone from across the room who looks confused in the gummies section, and can pop over to help them understand the difference between indica gummies vs. sativa gummies.
- Premium positioning: The high-end look associated with Apple stores helps position cannabis as a premium product, potentially justifying higher prices. In a rapidly growing market, this aesthetic helps dispensaries stand out from more traditional or counterculture-styled competitors.
- Tech integration: Many dispensaries incorporate digital menus and touchscreen displays, mirroring the tech-forward approach of Apple stores.
- Appeal to a broader demographic: The sleek, modern look can attract a wider range of customers, including professionals and older adults. While many people who shop at a dispensary may want to get high or buzzed, some are there for more medical reasons. For example, an older professional who does not want to get high may just be seeking the best CBD gummies for anxiety.
This trend reflects the cannabis industry’s ongoing efforts to reshape public perception and establish itself as a mainstream, respectable retail sector.
What Is The “Apple Store Asthetic” Exactly?
Now that we understand why many cannabis dispensaries look similar Apple stores, let’s break down from a design perspective what your typical Apple store looks like. This strategy seems to work for selling high ticket items, as Apple has the highest sales per square foot of any retail store in the world, and customers walk out having spent $300-500 per person on average!
The aesthetic of an Apple retail store is characterized by a minimalist and modern design philosophy, and here are the key elements:
- Clean lines: The stores feature simple, uncluttered layouts with straight lines and geometric shapes.
- Open space: Apple stores typically have high ceilings and an open floor plan, creating a sense of spaciousness.
- Neutral color palette: The dominant colors are white, light wood tones, and brushed metal, creating a bright and airy atmosphere.
- Glass: Large glass facades and internal glass elements are common, allowing natural light to flood the space.
- Wood accents: Many stores incorporate light-colored wood tables and shelving, adding warmth to the otherwise stark environment.
- Minimalist product displays: Products are arranged in a sparse, organized manner on simple tables or wall-mounted displays.
- Lighting: Bright, even lighting is used throughout the store, often with recessed ceiling lights and backlit wall displays.
- Large screens: Video walls or large displays are often featured, showcasing Apple products and branding.
- Iconic branding: The Apple logo is prominently displayed, usually illuminated on the storefront.
- Genius Bar: A dedicated support area that maintains the same sleek aesthetic as the rest of the store.
So…Will It Work To Sell More Weed?
This design approach aims to create a clean, futuristic environment that puts the focus squarely on Apple’s products and aligns with the company’s broader design philosophy. Whether this strategy will inspire people to buy more weed is still unclear, and only time will tell as we compare sales per square foot at more high end dispensaries vs more traditional head shops with low construction costs.
