Episode 221 - Chris Kuilan, Stoops NYC
Episode 221 is the 19th episode of Season 4.
Our guest for this episode is Chris Kuilan, Co-Founder of Stoops NYC, a Latinx-owned cannabis dispensary in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. Chris joins the show to talk about building a cannabis business rooted in New York culture, community and long-term vision inside one of the toughest regulated markets in the country.
Born and raised in New York, Chris saw legalization not just as an opportunity to open a dispensary, but as a chance to help build the foundation of a new industry from the ground up. Stoops NYC was created around the idea of bringing the spirit of the New York stoop into cannabis retail, a place where culture, conversation and community intersect. Rather than leaning entirely into hype or aesthetics, the company focuses on hospitality, operational discipline and building authentic neighborhood relationships while navigating the realities of taxes, regulation and social equity in New York cannabis.
We also talk about the challenges facing early operators in the state, the importance of local and boutique brands, the role technology and data may play in the future of cannabis retail and what it means to build something designed for longevity rather than short-term momentum.
This episode is a grounded conversation about modern cannabis retail, New York culture and building something real in a rapidly changing industry.
Find out more at stoopsnyc.com
Enjoy the show!
