After
marijuana was
legalized in different parts of the United States, longtime activist
Willie Nelson announced in 2015 through spokesman Michael Bowman the establishment of his own marijuana brand, Willie's Reserve. Plans to open chain stores in the states where marijuana was legalized were announced, to be expanded state-to-state if marijuana legalization is further expanded. Bowman called the brand "a culmination of (Nelson's) vision, and his whole life". Bowman compared the concept of Willie's Reserve to
Whole Foods Market, with the stores planned to carry their own brand of marijuana, while also featuring products by local growers. During an interview with
Rolling Stone Nelson explained that the stores would feature a "menu" explaining the effects produced by each type of product sold in the store, while he emphasized that the chain would closely cooperate with other growers. The opening of the chain was announced for 2016 with locations starting in
Alaska,
Colorado and
Washington, with an expansion planned as marijuana becomes legal in other states. In August 2019, Willie's Reserve partnered with
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats to produce a limited line of
cannabis cartridges titled "Nightstache Collection". ==See also==