Stoops NYC is showing how cannabis can continue to evolve in New York City.
Founder and owner Chris Kuilan saw firsthand how cannabis has evolved throughout the years. Growing up in New York City, he saw how cannabis enforcement was in his neighborhood, but it wasn’t until he started working in California’s legal cannabis market that he saw what a regulated cannabis industry could achieve.
“That gave me a chance to see what the industry could look like when it was regulated and professional, but still connected to the people and culture that built it,” said Kuilan.
When New York’s Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program was introduced, Kuilan jumped on the opportunity to bring his work home with him.
“I wanted to make the transition from the legacy market into the legal industry, build a real business, and be part of shaping what cannabis could look like in New York. A big part of it was also my extended family. My brothers and sisters already had experience in the legacy market, and I wanted to create a legal pathway for them and other people like them,” said Kuilan. “A lot of people stay in the legacy market because it’s what they know. They may have spent years building knowledge and experience there without ever seeing a realistic way to bring those skills into the legal industry.”
Kuilan opened Stoops NYC in June 2024 in the Flatiron District, converting a former 7/11 location into the storefront it is today. From the beginning, Kulian wanted the shop to be a place where people feel at home.
“If you grew up in New York, you know the stoop is where people sit, talk, catch up with neighbors, tell stories, and just spend time together. I wanted the store to have some of that same feeling,” said Kuilan.
The store has a variety of products and has built up a diverse customer base, with Kuilan telling amNewYork that the customers range from their 20s to their 70s. The Stoops NYC staff works with each customer to find the right products for them.
“Not everybody walking through the door has the same relationship with cannabis, and they shouldn’t be treated as if they do. I want us to be the kind of neighborhood dispensary that can meet people wherever they are, while showing what an independent, social-equity cannabis business can bring to New York City,” said Kuilan.
Shaping a neighborhood
Kuilan says that since the store first opened, legalized cannabis has been more visible and normal in Flatiron. Because the store is in Flatiron, they see a variety of customers ranging from locals and business owners to tourists, each of which have different cannabis experience levels and tastes among them. Even being nearby neighborhoods like NoMad, Chelsea and Union Square broadens the customer base beyond traditional demographics.
Kuilan told amNewYork that there was still a learning curve for customers who are unfamiliar with the legal side of cannabis.
“Some people still don’t know what to look for or why buying tested products from a licensed store matters. But I do think people are asking better questions than they were a couple of years ago,” said Kuilan.
But, that doesn’t mean that customers aren’t curious, and Kuilan finds that to be a plus for the market.
“There really isn’t one “typical” cannabis customer anymore. One person comes in specifically looking for premium flower or a certain pre-roll, and the next person may want a gummy, beverage, vape, or something with a lower dose,” said Kuilan. “To me, that’s a good sign for the legal market. The conversation is moving beyond just asking, “How strong is it?” People are thinking about the format, the experience, and where cannabis actually fits into their lives.”
Weed and wellness
Stoops NYC has put a huge emphasis on the connection between cannabis and wellness. Though Kulian is careful about the word “wellness” as he doesn’t want to make medical promises, he sees in some of his customers that they could incorporate cannabis into their routines, particularly when it comes to sleep, physical activity, socializing and creativity.
“For me, it’s more about being intentional and helping people understand what they’re consuming so they can make choices based on their own goals, preferences, and tolerance.
That conversation has changed a lot,” said Kuilan. “It used to be very focused on THC and finding the strongest product. Now we have customers asking about dosage, terpenes, CBD, CBG, CBN, and formats that give them more control over the experience. That’s really what wellness means to me in this context. It’s being more thoughtful about what you consume and why you’re consuming it.”
Stoops NYC starts with having a variety of New York–licensed, lab-tested products that have various levels of potency. Then the team works with each customer to find the right product, answering questions along the way.
“At the end of the day, we don’t want to tell everybody there’s one right way to consume cannabis. Someone might love flower while somebody else wants a gummy, beverage, vape, pre-roll, or a very low-dose product. Our job is to give them good options, answer their questions, and let them decide what makes sense for them,” said Kuilan. “As Stoops grows, I’d also like to do more that brings together education, community, and the actual people behind the products on our shelves.”
Stoops NYC is located at 182 5th Ave. For more information, visit stoopsnyc.com.
