Step inside a Cookies dispensary and you’ll immediately sense something different. Blue walls drenched in the signature shade of “Cookies Blue,” a curated playlist vibrating through stylish interiors, and a product lineup that screams both street and sophistication. Founded by rapper-turned-cannabis mogul Berner (Gilbert Milam Jr.), the Cookies brand has grown into a global cannabis powerhouse—setting trends, shaping culture, and defining what it means to build a lifestyle around weed.
From its humble beginnings in San Francisco, Cookies has expanded rapidly, now boasting more than 70 retail locations across multiple states and countries. The brand is widely recognized not just for its potent and flavorful strains—like the legendary Girl Scout Cookies, Gary Payton, and Cereal Milk—but for its tight grip on branding, marketing, and community-building. In fact, Cookies is one of the few cannabis brands that has managed to merge streetwear, music, and cannabis into a cohesive identity.
“We’re not just a dispensary. Cookies is a movement,” Berner told Forbes in a 2023 interview. “Our goal has always been to normalize cannabis, to make it aspirational and relatable, and to do it with authenticity.”
And authentic it is. Cookies has made a name for itself by partnering with legendary breeders like Jigga, who was instrumental in the development of the original Girl Scout Cookies strain. The brand has continued to evolve its genetics program, working with cultivators and legacy growers to innovate and offer unique phenotypes that keep the product line fresh and exclusive.
The significance of Cookies within the cannabis industry cannot be overstated. Cookies was the first cannabis company to ever appear on the cover of Forbes, marking a pivotal moment for industry legitimacy. Berner, who still serves as the face of the brand, was also listed on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis.
What really sets Cookies dispensaries apart, though, is the retail experience. The flagship store on Melrose in Los Angeles is a hybrid of a boutique, cultural hub, and cannabis museum. Customers aren’t just shopping—they’re absorbing a vibe, often guided by informed budtenders who can break down terpene profiles or recommend the perfect pre-roll for a beach day in Venice.
Cookies’ impact extends well beyond California. In Nevada, the Las Vegas Cookies store on Flamingo Road has become a go-to for tourists looking to pair high-quality cannabis with the glitz of the Strip. The brand’s international footprint is also growing, with stores in Spain, Israel, and Canada—a bold move considering the patchwork nature of global cannabis laws.
However, Cookies’ success hasn’t come without criticism. Some industry insiders question whether the brand’s streetwear-focused marketing may alienate certain demographics or reinforce outdated stereotypes. Others argue that its rapid expansion could dilute the very quality and authenticity that made it special in the first place.
Still, the brand continues to innovate. With new genetics always in the pipeline and a strong emphasis on cannabis education and social equity, Cookies is pushing boundaries in ways few cannabis brands have.
As the legal cannabis market matures, brands like Cookies are defining the blueprint for what’s possible—melding culture, commerce, and cannabis into a potent, profitable, and surprisingly inclusive formula. Whether you’re a curious first-timer or a seasoned smoker, stepping into a Cookies dispensary isn’t just a transaction. It’s an experience.