On August 13, 2020, Hobo Cannabis announced a rebrand, opening two new Ontario stores under their new name, Dutch Love. For Dutch Love, formerly Hobo Cannabis, it means owning and operating a total of fourteen retail cannabis stores, Canada wide.
Hobo Cannabis
A lot of their locations are in Ontario but they can also be found in Alberta and BC. However, the social response to their name, Hobo Cannabis, varied from Province to Province. As a brand name, Hobo Cannabis seemed to miss the mark. For a couple of reasons, buying from a place labelled hobo left a sour taste in the mouth.
- Thanks to the available strain selection, stoners today function better than ever. The idea that smoking pot will make you so fried that you’ll eventually become homeless, is as outdated as it is inaccurate. This fear-based mentality is still quite prevalent within our society, especially in the more conservative provinces.
- Referring to our homeless population as ‘hobos’ is extremely offensive and ignorant. Being homeless can happen to anyone and these days, it doesn’t take much to find yourself there. Between the cost of living, the lack of healthcare, and the opiate crisis, homelessness in BC is at emergency levels.
Whoever finalized the name Hobo Cannabis, has likely never smoked it and the chances are, they do not live in BC. But thankfully, someone who does, made the right people aware.
Why Dutch Love?
Named as a ‘nod to Amsterdam’, Dutch Love expresses the spirit of the organization and their respect for sensible politics. Although the brand is Canadian, the company wanted to show appreciation for the way Dutch lawmakers approach cannabis; especially regarding decriminalization and recreational cannabis tourism. For decades, the Netherlands has regulated cannabis using facts and reason. As a result, everyone in the country has profited as their tourism industry flourishes. For a cannabis company, emulating a Dutch mentality is smart business. Dutch Love is a new breath of fresh air!
Supporting Community
To support the community and shake off the spider webs of Hobo Cannabis, it’s rebrand Dutch Love will host a ‘good neighbour’ initiative for the first month of operations. Ten percent of the proceeds of each new store’s first month will be donated to local community programs.