Just in time for the "Self-Care" regimen, you'll need following this weekend's eating/shopping binge, an unlikely pair of businesses in Bishop Arts' District (BAD) are teaming up in support of "Health & Wellness" and "Craft-Cocktails."
From Dec.2 through Dec. 9th, The Local Oak (TLO), a "must try" restaurant in the Arts District, will collaborate with the new farm-to-market CBD boutique, "Hashtag Hemp Company" (#Hemp co.). The duo will kick off the first in a series of "pop-ups" inspired by CBD-cocktails, called "The CBD Craft-Cocktail Challenge" (CCCC). Given the name of the challenge, it makes sense that the participants are all popular BAD saloons that are well-known for their ability to mix spirits.
The Local Oak says it'll offer a short-list of CBD-infused cocktails, culturally-crafted by the taste masters at TLO, and a homemade CBD "edible" desert.
#Hemp and The Local Oak have a relationship that's as natural as it is unique, which isn't surprising seeing as they share (at least) 3 vital common interests; responsibly sourced ingredients, a love for hemp, and a passion for the people of Oak Cliff. Both companies are excited to help further the neighborhood's understanding of CBD. A goal they'll look to achieve by accurate information with a cause we can all get behind…Drinking!
The OCCC is the dream child of #Hemp Co.'s founder, Martell Golliday. Martell said he'd been toying with the concept since mid-July when Texas legalized CBD, but that the idea became "real" after meeting Alycen Cuellar [co-owner of TLO] at the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce Halloween Party. It was there that the two of them discussed working together while enjoying CBD craft-cocktails that she made, and he infused [with CBD].
"They have responsible food offerings at The Local Oak, so when she [Alycen] told me that they were already working on a CBD desert, I was even more impressed! It felt like a match made in heaven!" said Golliday. The owners of The Local Oak felt the same after visiting #Hemp's Canna-Boutique in BAD, claiming they were "blown away by the quality of their [#Hemp's] seed-to-sale CBD and the how inviting the environment was."
Oak Cliff is a very "tight-knit" community, so for #Hemp aligning with locally-loved eateries like "The Local Oak" means reaching a broader audience, and allows bypassing Facebook's censoring of CBD retailers on its platform.
Former Olympic soccer player and GM for Hashtag Hemp Company, Marcus McCarty, thinks that there are too many stigmas and not enough concrete information surrounding CBD. He says that "The CCCC will provide a safe and interesting atmosphere for those looking to learn about CBD and memorable experience for those that have already started their journey. Engaging with our community is the foundation of our business; it's why we created a family-friendly space that feels way more "medspa" than "Smokeshop."
As Hashtag's owner/operator, and the orchestrator of the CBD "Craft Cocktail Challenge," Martell has a pretty unique foundation himself. Just one year after his first experience with CBD, which he says made his ADHD manageable for the first time, he's become a staple in the Industrial-Hemp market. He's found success as: a brand-consultant, a raw-materials broker, a writer for the international Canna-Lifestyle magazine "Bomba," a public speaker, retail-store owner, and co-founder of a distribution company (Greene-Brothers Distributors).
His brand Hashtag Hemp is the first health & wellness company and the first CBD company on the Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce, and the boutique was just named "One of the best places to get CBD in Dallas" by the Dallas Observer.
What's shocking is that Martell became homeless at the age of 13, which he remained until his eventual imprisonment as a young adult. He's seemingly unaffected by the harshness of his journey. When asked, "What's been his hardest life challenge?" he quickly replies, "Retail!.......and trying to make my own-craft-cocktails!"
"I'll be in attendance every night, and later in the week, I'll conduct an information session which we'll announce on social media," says Golliday. As a compliance consultant for CBD companies, his main goal is for everyone to be safe and informed.