Hundreds queued outside Dr. Greenthumb’s on Saturday for the grand opening of Fresno’s first cannabis dispensary in the Tower District, nearly three years after the city approved legal weed permits. The 3,500-square-foot shop occupies a former abandoned Bank of America branch on Wishon Avenue near the Tower Theatre, drawing crowds who camped out since Thursday for ribbon-cutting access led by Cypress Hill rapper B-Real, the brand’s founder. The event marked a milestone in neighborhood revival and the slow rollout of legal cannabis sales in Fresno.
A Celebrity-Driven Launch Revives Vacant Space
B-Real, whose real name is Louis Freese, compared the scene to Cypress Hill’s early days when fans lined up at record stores for new albums. He launched the Dr. Greenthumb’s chain in Los Angeles in 2018 and now operates six locations across California, including this Fresno outlet. Amid food trucks, giveaways, and a lowrider show, B-Real mingled with fans, signing autographs on T-shirts and album covers from his golden tour bus dubbed the Twerkulator. Local co-owner Kacey Auston, who grew up blocks away, secured one of the district’s first licenses in early 2021 after the bank closed in 2017. She also co-owns the Cookies dispensary on Blackstone north of Shaw, opened in December, but views the Tower site as personal: “I was a Tower rat as a kid, so this is a dream come true.” The interior features a 1,525-square-foot sales floor with a mural of B-Real on stage, his signature green thumbprint, and products like pre-rolls, flower, hash oil from his line, plus offerings from Snoop Dogg, Stiiizy, and his 1998 Insane brand.
Neighborhood Boost Amid Slow City Rollout
Councilmember Annalisa Perea, whose district covers the Tower, attended and described the opening as “the definition of revitalization” for the long-vacant building. Dispensaries now inch Fresno toward its cannabis tax revenue targets, which have fallen short by as much as $3 million so far. Legal sales began sluggishly: Embarc and The Artist Tree debuted in July 2022, followed over a year later by The Station near Fashion Fair Mall in December. Recent additions include Cookies, Higher Level on Blackstone at Santa Ana, and two Culture Cannabis Club sites on Bullard at Highway 41 and Maple and Jensen. More openings loom, with Sweet Flower planned this weekend at Shields and Maroa, Haven at the former Fui Hai Chinese restaurant on Belmont and Blackstone, Bayan Tree Fresno on Sierra off Blackstone, and a second Embarc at a old 7-11 on Shaw and West.
Transparency Concerns Shadow Expansion
The surge follows a state Auditor’s Office report last month critiquing licensing in six areas, including Fresno, for missing best practices against favoritism and conflicts. Fresno lacked an administrative appeals process for applicants, part of broader gaps in Monterey, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, San Diego, and South Lake Tahoe. As Fresno’s cannabis scene grows—fueled by cultural affinity in areas like the Tower, known for its quirky vibe—Auston pledged to “keep the Tower weird” through economic infusion without altering its character. B-Real affirmed the area’s fit: “We know there is a big cannabis culture here.” The openings signal accelerating normalization of retail weed, blending celebrity branding, local pride, and fiscal hopes against a backdrop of regulatory scrutiny.
