We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alphonso (Tucky) Blunt Jr. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alphonso (Tucky) below.
Alphonso (Tucky) , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
BLUNTS AND MOORE CAME ABOUT BECAUSE I HAVE ALWAYS WALKED THE PATH OF BEING A CANNABIS BUSINESS OWNER. IF I AM BEING HONEST, ITS FATE. IT WAS WRITTEN THAT MY LAST NAME WOULD ALSO BE SOMETHING WELL KNOWN IN THE CANNABIS SPACE. IT WAS WRITTEN THAT I WOULD BE THE 1ST PERSON ARRESTED FOR CANNABIS SALES TO OPEN A CANNABIS RETAIL FACILITY. I DIDNT KNOW HOWTHINGS WOULD TURN OUT WHEN I WON MY LICENSE, BUT 5 YEARS LATER I AM STILL HERE. STILL OFFERING BLUNTS AND MOORE…
Alphonso (Tucky) , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
A child of Yahweh, Proud Husband, Proud Father, Hard Worker, Hustla, Alphonso (Tucky) Blunt Jr., is a true testament to walking your path. The owner of ATBJr Consulting,
Proud Papas Clothing/Auto Detail, and Blunts + Moore, is a 5th generation Oakland native,
who opened the 1st equity owned cannabis retail facility and consumption lounge.
While growing up in Oakland, California during the war on drugs era, he managed to
stay out of trouble and maintain a 4.0 gpa and a full time job while in high school. He was
also using and selling cannabis. Cannabis sales to him was another form of employment. In
1999 while on an errand with his grandmother, she had him go to a dispensary. From that
day forward his mission was to own one for himself, so he could sell cannabis legally. He
worked at and was a vendor for multiple bay area dispensaries from 1999-2004. In 2003 he
attempted to become an owner of a dispensary, and was told blacks would never own in this
business. In 2005 he was arrested for possession with the intent to sell, and given 10 years
of felony probation with a 4 way search clause. Still determined to learn more on the legal
side, he attended and graduated from Oaksterdam University in 2008. In true path
formation, had he not been arrested, he would not have qualified for the Equity program…
Since his store opening in 2018, he has continued to work within the space, as well as
be and advocate, public speaker, consultant, professor, content creator, and brand
ambassador for clients/companies both in and out of the cannabis space. Hoping to use his
voice and knowledge to help others, he continues to network globally.
Featured On/In
No Vultures Podcast, All Def, No Jumper, 85 South Show, Forbes, All Def Cannabis, USA
Today, BBC News, Sway Calloway (Shade 45), Karen Hunter (XM Urban View), Dear Fathers,
Comedy Central’s “Klepper Show”, Weedmaps, Cannabis Business Times, SF Chronicle,
Leafly, Black Enterprise, Cannaclusive, Black Bay Area, Hightimes, Swedish Public TV, Hall of
Flowers, Respect my Region, Lets be Blunt with Montel Williams, Voyage LA, Diversity
Report, Black in Cannabis, MJ Unpacked, MJ Biz, 4/20/2021 released the Smoking Vultures
shoes with SIA Collective, Founder of the 5 On It music festival, Professor (The Harrington
Institute), Consultant with the NJ CRC
Any advice for managing a team?
Simple… treat EVERYONE AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED, EMPOWER YOUR TEAM, MAKE THEM LET FROM EACH OTHER SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO DO EVERYTHING.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I’ve been open 5 years and have had 2 business partners, BOTH OF THEM STOLE FROM THE BUSINESS. Not only am I still here, I’m in a better place with both of them gone and I used the lessons learned to grow. Don’t forget I’m on a path that was already laid for me. I must succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: Bluntsandmoore.com
- Instagram: @tuckyblunt @the.happy.lounge @bluntsandmoore_510
- Twitter: @blunttucky
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tuckyblunt?si=5XipybtHEfuLz8in