Tennessee's first legal cannabis restaurant is coming to Germantown this spring
Sherah NdjongoCraft Cannabis founder Michael Solomon is expanding his legal cannabis empire with the addition of a soon-to-open restaurant.
Buds & Brews, an innovative, Germantown-based eatery on 1246 3rd Ave. N., is slated for a spring 2022 opening. Tennessee’s first cannabis bar and restaurant will have an American sports theme.
The restaurant will serveclassic meals that can be enhanced with legal, hemp-derived THC condiments that Solomon considers high-end.
"...our extraction process is solventless — like it’s fresh squeezed," he said.
But what does it taste like?
Using a coffee analogy, Solomon likens hemp to decaf and marijuana to its caffeinated counterpart. Condiments, which are manufactured and pre-sealed off-site, are designed to be mixed together.
“We took the 25 most commonly used condiments, and we infused all of them,” Solomon said.
Sweet treats and mocktails, like the popular smokey margarita, will also be available.
Mastered in California; Founded in Tennessee
Solomon, who was born and raised in Middle Tennessee, started the seed-to-shelf cannabis business Craft Cannabis after his job took him to California, where he gained experience in cannabis cultivation. There, he worked alongside dispensary Green Goddess Collective as a licensed medical grower.
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In 2017, Solomon returned to the Volunteer State. The following year, the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 was passed, allowing industrial hemp that has a THC concentration of no more than 0.3% to classify as legal.
Craft Cannabis creates one-of-kind cannabis products in its network, operating with full transparency that Solomon is proud of.
“We are a grower, manufacturer and retailer," he said. "We grow hemp, and we extract it, and we sell it.”
By 2019, Craft Cannabisbirthed "The Holistic Connection"retail brand.
“We grew over 1000% percent in 18 months,” Solomon added.
The Holistic Connection currently has brick and mortar stores across in Middle Tennessee, with plans to expand in less than two years to 17 additional locations, including Atlanta, Chattanooga, Franklin, Knoxville, Lenox Village, Midtown, Nashville and Rivergate.
The brownies and edibles audience
Solomon hopes to give Nashville residents and tourists, experienced or new to cannabis, a safe and legal place to enjoy and experiment with different tastes.
Buds & Brews took approximately a year and a half to launch. Early in this process, Solomon and his business partners analyzed the constant demand for edibles, suspecting it would be an indicator for the eatery's success.
They're eager this spring to find out.
Buds & Brews
1246 3rd Ave. N., Nashville
Cannabis bar and restaurant with an American sports theme slated to open in Spring 2022