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Introducing FIKA: The Lifestyle Brand Redefining Cannabis Retail

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#cannabis #THC #medicalmarijuana #CBD
Published
08/13/2021 by

FIKA, today launched its first flagship cannabis retail experience in the heart of Toronto's historic Distillery District. FIKA will also be launching a second flagship in the newly renovated Union Station market in 2022. Cannabis retail is a fast-emerging industry, increasingly crowded by large corporate names, that has yet to see a premium, lifestyle brand for the modern consumer. Until now. FIKA is breathing new life into the cannabis industry.

FIKA embraces an identity that is sophisticated, stylish, and shameless. In Swedish, fika is often translated as "a coffee and treat break," but it is much more than that. It is a culture, a state of mind and a powerful concept. One that encourages you to pause and enjoy the everyday beauty in life.  Fika is personified in every element of the store experience, creating a space that encourages guests to "take a breather" - a philosophy and mindset that is the ethos and inspiration behind the brand.

"FIKA is a unique retail concept that puts the cannabis consumer first with a fresh, welcoming environment and unparalleled customer service," said Christopher Kane, Chief Operations Officer. "We've designed our stores to be intuitive to newcomers and experienced consumers alike by taking a hospitality-forward approach and eliminating things like overwhelming menu boards and tent cards. Instead, we've embraced a simple and browsable display of competitively priced products alongside our friendly and highly knowledgeable staff – we call them Ambassadors. We invest significantly in training and education to provide the highest level of customer service. Our people are the heart of our brand and really make the store experience come to life."

FIKA's interior design, in exclusive partnership with North America's leader in retail design, GH+A, takes inspiration from deep woods and earthy tones to create a feeling of comfort and familiarity. The centrepiece of FIKA's retail experience is three eye-catching Flower Bars that are designed to make shopping easy and approachable. The cannabis flower is displayed in beautiful magnifying domes, organized left to right by strain type and top to bottom by THC strength, making FIKA's best-in-class product selection easy to navigate. The Vintages section of the store showcases a curated, rotating selection of the most sought-after Canadian growers and provides an immersive platform to explore unique origin stories from across the country. Guests will also find the Tuck Shop where they can browse a beautifully merchandised selection of the best cannabis infused chocolate, gummies, and cold beverages before stopping by the Vape and Pre-Roll Bars, where they can view each cartridge and pre-roll out of its packaging in stunning individual display cases.

"FIKA offers customers an experience unlike any other cannabis retailer I have seen in Canada or the US. Everything in the store is designed with intention and purpose. We developed custom merchandising for every category to eliminate the distraction and confusion of cannabis packaging and allow our customers to see exactly what they are purchasing" says Kelly Kennedy, Director of Store Design and Visual Merchandising at FIKA. "This industry comes with a number of unique challenges. We saw each one as an opportunity to get creative and raise the bar."

Beyond cannabis products, FIKA is the exclusive cannabis retailer for coveted Boy Smells candles and apparel. The Los Angeles brand is best known for their KUSH candle collection, infusing cannabis flower with boundary-pushing pairings like cashmere wood, suede and white amber. FIKA's selection of lifestyle products also include its oversized FIKA tote made with 100% cotton twill, its South American Palo Santo smudging wood along with wellness products and topicals such as CBD-infused bath bombs and lotions.

FIKA also collaborated with the best local Toronto purveyors throughout the space, sparing no detail. From the breathtaking plant art that enwraps the centre column, made with hand painted gypsophila flowers and plumosa ferns, by Jordana Massi of White Oak Flower Co, to the proprietary sensory pods made of Japanese cedar and bronze in FIKA Vintages by internationally recognized Toronto designer Lee Kline.

The Distillery flagship marks the first of 18 FIKA Local and FIKA Herbal Goods locations planned to open now through 2023 in some of the most highly sought-after locations in Canada with multi-store agreements with DREAM, SmartCentres and Cadillac Fairview. FIKA Local is the brand's elevated, small-footprint concept conveniently located in select AAA power-plazas.

FIKA Herbal Goods Distillery is now open seven days a week.

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