OKAY Cannabis emerged at a cultural inflection point: the post-pandemic era had left people emotionally drained, seeking authenticity, connection, and new ways of being. The cannabis retail market, however, was leaning hard into wellness clichés or cold, hyper-secure transactional models. OKAY sought to break that mold by creating a space that was vibrant, unexpected, and deeply human. With an ambitious vision to integrate a bakery, a consumption lounge, and retail—all while complying with stringent regulations—they needed a spatial strategy that could support traffic flow, security protocols, and journey design while maintaining a deeply emotive brand experience.
geniant helped OKAY bring their multisensory vision to life across multiple locations. In Wheeling, the 13,000-square-foot flagship merges retail, dining, and social space, embedding West Town Bakery and a fully functional consumption lounge. Working in close coordination with Satellite Agency and Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, geniant contributed to a spatial narrative that embraced contrast: arched forms that mirrored the brand emblem, a Candyland-meets-lounge aesthetic, and journey-mapping that balanced freedom with compliance. In Chicago’s West Town and Evanston locations, the design strategy adapted to neighborhood context—retail-forward in West Town, community-centric in Evanston—while maintaining a cohesive emotional and visual brand experience. The result? A dispensary model that doesn't just invite customers in—it invites them to belong.