About us
Budega NYC
Budega NYC is a New York City cannabis lifestyle brand, blog, and online dispensary concept store. Like food, sports, fashion, and entertainment, cannabis is part of the fabric of this city. It transcends all cultures, creeds, and religions — millions of us are united through the herb. Nothing brings New Yorkers together like sharing a well-rolled joint or blunt in a city park, in front of a corner store, or just walking through the endless neighborhoods that distinguish our great city from anywhere else on Earth. Founded by a lifetime New Yorker, Budega NYC strives to bring its customers unique and original content and merchandise, along with fresh and practical everyday products.
Budega NYC remembers those days, not so long ago, when New Yorkers had to visit a local bodega to get their weed — often forced to navigate unfamiliar neighborhoods and look over their shoulders for the watchful eyes of the boys in blue. The store aims to recreate the same feel as those bodegas online, coupled with a new age New York City cannabis culture experience. With legalization on the horizon, Budega NYC looks forward to sharing those stories of both old and new New York with the people who have lived through it all.
The Budega Blog will feature everyday New Yorkers, along with cannabis activists, celebrating the plant and the lifestyle. Budega NYC will also curate cannabis products from New York cannabis entrepreneurs in an effort to support the city and states cannabis industry as a whole. Spread the love and pass the spliff.
Community Outreach and Engagement
Mental Health OutreachÂ
Budega NYC is keenly aware that many cannabis consumers use cannabis recreationally and medically to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression. Through workshops and free consultations with affiliate mental health professionals, Budega seeks to engage customers and the community at large to help assess if cannabis is being used as a coping strategy or a form of mental health improvement. Â
Restorative JusticeÂ
 As criminal justice reform advocates, Budega NYC believes legalization must also address the harm that New York City’s war on drugs has done to our communities, in particular communities of color who have been disproportionately targeted. To that end, Budega has engaged attorneys, legal professionals, and local elected officials to create expungement seminars to remove cannabis convictions from affected individuals. Expungements remove the obstacle created by a criminal record when seeking employment, applying for financial loans, or in pursuit of housing to name a few.Â
Health and WellnessÂ
Budega founders strongly advocate all individuals to live an active lifestyle. In partnership with various health and wellness groups, Budega will organize inclusive neighborhood walks, runs, and bike rides for all levels. Physical activity helps manage your weight, reduce your risk of disease, strengthen your bones and muscles, and do everyday tasks more easily. When you are physically active, your thinking, learning, and judgment skills will remain sharp. Sleeping better and reducing depression and anxiety are also benefits.