Boutique cannabis dispensary, wellness center and restaurant
A Labor Friendly Social Enterprise -- from The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group – announced for West Town
In partnership with Former Ald. Ameya Pawar, Organized Labor Consultant Hanah Jubeh, Chicago Marathon Medical Director and Chicago Blackhawks Team Physician Dr. George Chiampas, and Labor Leader Nikki Hayes
CHICAGO (August 23, 2019) – The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group (Scott Weiner & Greg Mohr) are forming a partnership with some of Chicago's biggest and most respected leaders to open a labor friendly boutique cannabis dispensary, wellness center and restaurant at a soon-to-be-disclosed location in West Town.
The concept will feature: a medical spa, mineral baths, and wellness center programmed by Dr. George Chiampas, a café and restaurant, and a cannabis dispensary. This concept spearheaded by Ameya Pawar and Hanah Jubeh will be the first cannabis dispensary in Illinois to invite labor to organize workers. This social enterprise will employ graduates of one of the city's leading-edge organizations working with justice involved youth. The career-track jobs will include profit sharing and full benefits.
The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group owns or operates 18 unique concepts across Chicago, having most recently partnered with the celebrated Second City on the third location of Roots Handmade Pizza and its 10,000 square foot rooftop concept called Utopian Tailgate.
Ameya Pawar is the former alderman of Chicago’s 47th Ward, the first Asian American to serve in the Chicago City Council, and current senior fellow with the Economic Security Project. As a candidate for governor Pawar was the first statewide candidate in Illinois to call for the legalization of cannabis for recreational use and called for mass pardons/commutations for low-level drug offenses.
“We fundamentally believe our team should be paid well, share in our profits, and ensure youth from Chicago’s most resilient communities are first in line for career track positions. We believe in the right to organize workers and none of these values conflict with making a profit,” Pawar said.
Hanah Jubeh is a political and strategic communications expert whose background stems from her work in government and organized labor. Dr. George Chiampas is a doctor of osteopathic medicine at Northwestern, medical director of the Chicago Marathon, and a physician for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Nikki Hayes is an elected labor leader for LiUNA Local 1001. Hayes also owns Pier 31, a restaurant and bar on Chicago’s South Side.
The group has secured a location where they plan to curate a recreational cannabis experience featuring luxury treatments and cannabis-infused mineral baths, float relaxation therapy and seasonal fine dining with an on-site dispensary. The group plans to include organized labor in their business model, create jobs for justice involved youth through a soon to be announced social equity partner, and create a model for diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry.
“I’m excited to partner with a dynamic group of individuals on a project that focuses on bringing the first restaurant concept that incorporates cannabis as well as an innovative approach to health and wellness with a state of the art spa facility,” Hanah Jubeh said. “This project will be unique in its concept and will attracts locals and tourists alike.”
The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group has long been excited for the legalization of recreational cannabis, and while there are still challenges in city and state law to overcome, within time they hope to be able serve chef-driven, cannabis-infused tasting menus treating different strains of cannabis with the same care and dedication that chefs treat seasonal ingredients on tasting menus in the height of summer’s produce.
For example, their chef would eventually like to be able to infuse an uplifting sativa strain such as Strawberry Haze in the first course of a five-course dinner while infusing a dessert course with a sativa strain that promotes digestion and relaxation such as Chocolate Chunk.
“The Fifty/50 Restaurant group has been a staple of the restaurant community in Chicago for more than a decade,” said Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association. “Incorporating cannabis into their culinary offerings has the potential to create an unparalleled dining experience for Chicagoans and tourists alike.”
Dr. Chiampas expects to utilize various strains of cannabis in various spa treatments depending on individual patients personalized ailments. For those looking to relax unwind, or recover Dr. Chiampas is excited about having an outlet to provide the world-class therapies that he’s already synonymous with in the sports and medical community.
For more information, please contact Dave Andrews of Good Life PR at dave@goodlifepr.com and 847-909-5511.
