We recently connected with Michael Pires and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, appreciate you joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

I can never forget the excitement and joy that took over my body the day I opened the box of our first Kush Groove shipment. We worked hard over the course of a few months to come up with and manufacture 5 t shirt designs for both men and women. Naturally the 1st thing most folks do nowadays is share the excitement with the world via social media platforms, so I did just that and posted the unboxing of the merchandise on instagram. Within minutes I began to receive messages from friends and family who wanted to place orders and secure their merch. Shortly thereafter I loaded the trunk of my car and started to make deliveries to the residences of my friends and family. The 1st product we ever sold was a maroon Kush Groove logo t-shirt to a childhood friend. A decade later with over a million dollars in sales, our friends and family continue to be the foundation of support that allows us continued success in the region.

Michael, 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?

I was born and raised in both Boston and Cambridge, MA. I graduated from Northeastern University with a business degree and always had a desire to start my own business. I didn’t have much fashion design or retail experience but liked streetwear and graphic tees growing up. Early in life I was taught to shape my career around things that I was passionate about so I did just that. I believe what truly sets Kush Groove apart from most cannabis brands is our story; a cannabis brand launched by friends prior to legalization…not too many companies in this industry can make that statement.

I am extremely proud of what my team and I have accomplished over the years but what we’ve accomplished in the legal cannabis industry is remarkable considering the odds. With the many layers of regulations it’s truly a difficult industry to navigate. We worked hard, didn’t give up and remained focused on the goals we set. We’ve been approved for 3 cannabis retail licenses with our 1st store to open in Q1 of 2023.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In order to grow a business one most know how to adapt and pivot. One of the toughest decisions we’ve ever had to make was the closing of our Kush Groove streetwear smoke shops. Our business was more than just local retail stores, it was a home to many members of the community who would often stop by to attend events, network with others and buy their cannabis lifestyle goods. The business was growing steady year after year until Gov. Baker made a change to MA legislation. The governor signed a bill banning all flavored tobacco and placing a hefty tax on vaporizer products. This new bill had an immediate negative impact on all tobacco retailers. Realizing where the smoke shop industry was headed we decided to close the doors to the smoke shops to pivot and focus our efforts and resources on obtaining cannabis dispensary licenses. Today, we have 3 dispensary licenses and plan to sell Kush Groove products at each location.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Being around for over a decade and having longevity has helped tremendously. The fact we launched a cannabis brand years prior to legalization speaks for itself. We’ve grown our business and scaled it organically by having great business practices, building a cannabis community and working hard year after year. We’ve always been hands on with our business which has allowed us to meet thousands of people over the years and I think people have a different perspective of a business when they get to meet and befriend the owners.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kushgroove.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kushgroove
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kushgroove
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikepires/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/kushgroove
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kushgrooveclothing