A cannabis brand founded by Cypress Hill’s B-Real launches its inaugural Chicago dispensary Saturday in Bucktown with a block party featuring local hip-hop artists and DJs. The grand opening at 2200 N. Ashland Ave. marks Dr. Greenthumb’s expansion into the Midwest after two decades in California. This event transforms a former nightlife hotspot plagued by violence into a regulated retail space, signaling shifts in the neighborhood’s landscape.
From Infamous Nightclub to Cannabis Hub
Dr. Greenthumb’s occupies the site of the Green Dolphin Street nightclub, shuttered in 2017 after years of public safety problems, including a deadly 2015 shooting. The building now houses the dispensary alongside Pup Social, a members-only dog club that debuted this spring. Management spent years navigating Illinois’ licensing and redevelopment hurdles, holding a community meeting in late 2023 to address neighbor concerns before a soft opening this summer.
Cypress Hill’s Enduring Cannabis Legacy
B-Real, born Louis Freese, started Dr. Greenthumb’s in 1998, drawing from his alter-ego in a Cypress Hill song of the same name. The rap group, famous for “Insane in the Brain” and “Hits from the Bong,” championed marijuana legalization since the early 1990s, when few public figures did. Daniel Firtel, president at TRP which manages the brand, credits this history for setting Dr. Greenthumb’s apart as it brings that advocacy to Chicago with seven California locations already operating.
Grand Opening and Neighborhood Context
Starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, an expansive parking lot hosts performers like DJ Derrick Carter and rapper King Louie, who once played Green Dolphin Street. B-Real, currently touring with Cypress Hill, plans a return visit later this year. The dispensary stocks flower, vapes, pre-rolls, and brand-specific products for medical and recreational users, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and adjusted hours Sundays. It joins nuEra, Ivy Hall, and Village Dispensary in Bucktown, reflecting cannabis retail’s rapid local growth amid Illinois’ regulatory framework.
