Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Wilken-Simon.
Josh, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In the spring of 2009, while I was studying at Hamline University in St. Paul, I would regularly cross the river to the art district in Minneapolis and watch my cousin “Sloth” craft incredible glass pipes. The glassblowing studio that my cousin worked for sold Minnesota-made glass pipes to stores both locally and nationally. One day while I was entranced by the flames and molten glass I got to ask how he got paid. I learned that this glassblowing business paid the artists per completed pipe. While discussing the glass artist’s finances “Sloth” was in the middle of making a dragon pipe encased inside of a clear glass bottle. The next question I asked would dramatically change the course of my life “How much will ya get paid for that piece?” I learned that this detailed, artistic creation would net my cousin a cool $12. Appalled by this amount I asked the owner of the business for a list of a couple of local shops that carried their pipes and I set off to see what stores were selling my cousin’s art. After seeing a $150 retail price tag for a similar pipe made by “Sloth” I knew that my cousin was being exploited. A few months later I approached the boss and asked if I could buy my cousin’s pipes wholesale and take them to sell at a local music festival – Bella Madre at Harmony Park. That weekend Legacy was born. Without a vending permit, I smuggled in a two small cases of pipes and started my campsite-to-campsite trek. I never imagined how much happiness I would be able to spread through the art. On every campsite, I went to the festival goers were beyond stoked with the quality, the price and the uniqueness. Within an hour I knew that selling locally made pipes was not going to be a side hustle that would help pay for the good times at a music fest but a small business that I would pour my life into. Following that first festival, I spent the summer going across the county guerilla vending at every big festival around. With the funds raised from those endeavors “Sloth” was able to quit his job and we opened our own glassblowing studio. As I was finishing my senior year at Hamline I sold locally to stores. This is where I learned that 99% of pipes bought and sold in the U.S were made in China and India in slave labor conditions and these pipes were offered to stores at absurdly low prices. After tirelessly trying to convince shop owners of the difference in the quality of pipes and the importance of supporting local I knew that wholesaling pipes was not a fun endeavor. I saw my opening in the market – be the only shop in Minnesota that sells exclusively locally made pipes! I graduated and moved to Duluth where I opened my first retail store in 2010. After a few years of pouring every penny made back into the store, I was able to move next door to a much bigger and nicer storefront. However, my eye was always on the Twin Cities for a destination glass pipe gallery. In 2016, I made it a reality and opened Lyn Lake in Minneapolis. Here we combined the glassblowing studio and the gallery in one building. By showing customers that we make a lot of the pipes right in the store and allowing them to watch the art being made, I could prove our “support your local glassblower mission!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would love to hear a story of a small business with a smooth road but unfortunately, I am not sure it exists. Operating a retail store selling locally made glass pipes faced the immediate challenge of the nature of the products we sold. The national landscape and acceptance of Cannabis today was not the same in 2010. On the first day I opened the store in Duluth, a local police officer pulled up in front of the gallery and proceeded to sit there the entire day. I can only assume with the attempt to intimidate customers from entering the new store. After opening my first bank account with U.S Bank when I was 14 (to deposit money from mowing lawns), I spent over a decade with personal and business checking accounts, saving accounts, lines of credit and even a home mortgage and one cold day my local bankers walked into my store and said they have been dreading this conversation all week, how they tried to convince their bosses, how valuable to the community we have been but effective immediately all my accounts were shut down. Navigating a business with no bank accounts and daily credit card batches being put into an account that doesn’t exist was a major struggle. As the bankers left my shop, they even said “I am sure Minnesota will legalize soon and than will be up here begging for your business again” This was at a point in time long before the Federal Hemp Bill and Minnesota’s legalization of THC edibles. My bank accounts got shut down for selling handmade pieces of glass art. Bumpy roads is the nature of small business and in the following years I had to deal with theft from employees, theft from customers, insurance companies wriggling out of paying valid water damage claims, the dramatic ups and downs of the glass pipe market, the federal change from 18 to 21 years of age to purchase pipes and more. The biggest challenge however, is balancing a social life and recently a growing family life with the everyday demands of running a small business. Years of 80+ hour workweeks definitely take their toll. Every time I hit a bump in the road or miss the get-togethers with my closest friends I try to remember back at that first music festival and the sheer joy on everyone’s face who scooped a new affordable art pipe.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Legacy currently has two retail stores located in Duluth and Minneapolis, Minnesota specializing in local and U.S.A made glass pipes and art. For 11 years we have been the only store in Minnesota that sells pipes that has never sold one piece of glass made in China or India. We promote each artist and present the pipes in a gallery setting. With the recent changes in Minnesota law, our galleries have added an internal dispensary selling the best Minnesota made THC edibles and drinks. In addition, we have recently launched Legacy Cannabis with our own unique edibles – including cinnamon roll chocolate bars, space ice cream and infused mints. Legacy also specializes in hosting events. We put on a large number of glass pipes gallery shows featuring a new body of pipes from local or national artists paired with visual 2d art from an additional artist. As the co-chair of the Lyn Lake Business Association, I put on an annual summer event called the Lyn Lake Street Art Series. This is a weekend mural festival where local artists paint incredible murals around the neighborhood. A few weeks ago Legacy put on the third annual Legacy Cup- a THC festival celebrating local cannabis. This year saw over 6,000 attendees!
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Duluth has an incredible artist community and folks that love to support local and really appreciate the arts. Our location in downtown Duluth has unfortunately seen a slow and steady uptick in homelessness and individuals with major mental health and chemical dependency issues and it makes for a less than ideal gallery experience.
Minneapolis especially Lyn Lake is filled with unique locally owned small businesses and a population that loves to support local retail. What I like least about Minneapolis is actually the media’s perception of the city. A lot of folks that live outside of Minneapolis have a perception that everyone in Minneapolis is incredibly dangerous.
Pricing:
- Pipes from $5-$35,000
- THC Edibles and Drinks from $4-$30
- Paintings and 2d Art from $10-$5,000
- Cannabis Smoking Accessories from $1-1,200
Contact Info:
- Website: legacyglassworks.com and legacyedibles.com
- Instagram: @legacyglassworks and @legacycannabismn
- Facebook: facebook.com/legacyglassworks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/legacyglass
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LegacyGlassworks/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/legacy-glassworks-minneapolis-3?osq=legacy+glassworks
- Other: legacythccup.com
