Building in Raleigh and the Triangle
I didn’t grow up in a big corporate cannabis market. I built businesses here. I’ve watched Raleigh and the Triangle evolve in real time.
When I started HAZE, it wasn’t because I thought THC beverages were “hot.” I’ve been in beverage for over a decade. I understand how hard it is to build something that lasts. HAZE wasn’t about jumping into a category. It was about responding to something I felt was missing.
We’re living in a time where people are more connected digitally than ever and less present with each other than ever. HAZE was built around that gap. Social euphoria, to me, means creating products that elevate a room without taking it over. It means energy without chaos. It means conversation that opens up instead of shuts down.
That intention matters.
Why Working With Sherlocks Glass and Dispensary in Raleigh Feels Aligned
And it is one of the reasons working with Sherlocks Glass and Dispensary in Raleigh feels aligned.
Sherlocks was around before hemp-derived THC beverages were a thing people were seriously discussing. They did not build their reputation by chasing trends. They built it by caring about what goes on their shelves, educating people, and respecting cannabis culture instead of exploiting it.
There is a difference between a store that sells cannabis and a store that represents cannabis culture in a city. Sherlocks has represented it in Raleigh for years.
Shared Standards and a Top Shelf Mindset
As HAZE has grown locally, I have thought a lot about where the brand belongs. Not every shelf makes sense. Not every partnership is about distribution. Sometimes it is about shared standards.
Sherlocks has always operated with a top shelf mindset. That does not just mean potency or hype. It means intention. It means if something is on their shelf, it was considered. I respect that as a founder.
The Evolution of Cannabis Culture in the Triangle
Cannabis culture in the Triangle is evolving. It used to be primarily about flower and glass. Now it is about experience. It is about how cannabis integrates into music, gatherings, creative energy, and even alcohol alternatives. The beverage space is becoming part of that wider story.
Flower culture and beverage culture are not competing. They are different expressions of the same shift. People are exploring how they want to feel, not just what they want to consume.
Sherlocks represents depth and legacy in cannabis retail in Raleigh. HAZE represents a newer layer of that culture, where THC shows up socially in a way that feels intentional and integrated rather than heavy-handed.
Building Locally, Not Just Selling Locally
When local brands choose to work together, it signals something important to the community. It says that we are building here, not just selling here. It says that the Triangle can define its own identity in cannabis rather than copying what is happening in other states.
For me personally, working with other great local brands is about proximity and accountability. We see each other around town. We hear feedback directly. We are invested in the same city. That keeps standards high.
The Future of Cannabis in North Carolina
HAZE is still being written as a story. So is the future of cannabis in North Carolina. Partnerships like this are part of that narrative, not because they are strategic on paper, but because they feel culturally aligned.
If we are going to define what responsible, high quality, experience-driven cannabis looks like in Raleigh, it will come from local retailers and founders who care about what they are building.
That matters more to me than any short term win.
