Only Alien Cannabis: indoor marijuana smoking lounge opens (Kalamazoo, Michigan)

Thanks to Mlive for this:

KALAMAZOO, MI — Growing, buying and smoking cannabis legally inside a Michigan business was an alien concept during marijuana’s decades of prohibition.

But it’s happening today in Kalamazoo, and anyone 21 and older is welcome.

A cannabis consumption lounge has opened in Kalamazoo — only the third in Michigan to open. The business is called Only Alien Cannabis Co., which opened earlier this month at 4525 West KL Ave.

It’s similar to a bar, but with marijuana instead of alcohol.

“It makes me tick,” Laraway said about the plant.

Only Alien will work to fill a niche in the market, growing small, hand-trimmed batches on site with a focus on quality, Laraway said, while cultivating a unique experience for visitors.

It’s a microgrow, dispensary and lounge, all in one.

“You can be yourself here,” Laraway said. “That’s what Only Alien stands for.”

Sunlight illuminated the cannabis cloud next to a large front window Thursday morning, where customers can sit at barstools and face the bustling street and sidewalk.

Only Alien’s four co-owners are Laraway, who’s head of cultivation and a managing partner; General Manager Marty Webber; George Webber; and Managing Partner Gabe Barham.

Only two other businesses in Michigan have licenses for on-site marijuana consumption: Hot Box Social in Hazel Park and Kalkushka Lounge in Kalkaska.

But Only Alien is the only place that also has a license to grow cannabis on site.

Space-themed murals cover the walls in a sleek seating area, with tables and trays at the ready for ash. People can bring in a coffee to enjoy with their smoke, the owners said.

They are excited to get up and running after years of work. The owners did much of the work on the building themselves, including a sales floor with a spaceship-looking counter.

Only Alien is free to enter and is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Growing, selling and smoking on site

The “mother room” is visible from a wide window off the lobby. Once the operation is up and running, it will house mother plants that sprout leaves used to start other plants from.

“We’re like the pioneers of legal cannabis consumption in Michigan,” Barham said.

Since the plants grown there will be sold only at Only Alien, it adds an element of exclusivity.

The former drummer of the band “Sleeping with Sirens,” Barham wants to bring in events to mix cannabis and music in a creative way. Only Alien also plans to bring in cannabis brands for events, the owners said.

They’re also looking into what food might be allowed on site, like a vending machine, and would like to add food options for customers as the business grows.

Beyond that, Only Alien aims to be inclusive and welcoming.

The multipronged cannabis business occupies the space of a former beloved restaurant, Great Lakes Shipping Co. The restaurant shut down in 2018 after 44 years in business there.

Only Alien’s funding comes from family and friends, a group of nine people, the owners said.

Since their in-house plants are not yet ready to harvest, Only Alien is offering infused products for sale, the owners said, explaining they can only sell their own cannabis buds (or flower) in house.

“People can come in here, smoke a little bit, test out the products and relax and vibe out a little while,” Webber said. “Also, they’re able to lessen the effects, just sit hang out for a bit and once they feel ready, they can go out and go home and drive safe.”

“It’s still illegal to drive under the influence,” Robinson said, recommending people make a plan about how they will get home before they go to a place to use marijuana.