The name is undeniably catchy: HerbN Joy, pronounced "urban joy." It felt more like an Apple store than a pot shop.
“Not having any counters where people stand. We merchandise like department stores or specialty boutique stores ... That’s probably best exemplified by our domes and how we display our product so people can see them," said co-owner Jeff Linden.
Chula Vista has a reputation for being difficult when it comes to licensing marijuana retail shops. A story in Voice of San Diego last August talked about alleged conflicts of interest and favoritism shown by the city to certain license applicants over others.
Linden said HerbNJoy's experience with the city was "long."
Long, and competitive. Linden said he and his co-owners were given a license, but then another operator appealed the decision and the city sided with them. But Linden said he appealed that ruling.
“And that took a while, but in the end, the city got it right,” he said.
Right, as in right for Linden and his fellow owners. They ended up getting their license.
Linden said the entire process took a little more than two years. But they finally opened their doors late last week.
One funny coincidence about the store's location: it's on Nirvana Way.
“It is icing on the cake. It is pretty amazing and pretty fun to be able to say we’re on the corner of Main and Nirvana," Linden said with a chuckle.
Nirvana is more than a street. One could say it was a state of mind for all who see 4/20 as its own kind of special day.
