Since opening in 2018, Gas Gods has undoubtedly become one of the most trusted endorsers of luxury cannabis in the south. The silent takeover has grown at such a momentum, they’ll soon be celebrating the opening of a second location on the west side of Houston, Tx. Their dedication to changing the narrative behind the consumption of THC products is proven in the diversity of their supporters. Loyal members of their exclusive network come from all walks of life. The quality of service and apparel members have come to know and expect was established long before the doors of Gas Gods’ first location opened. The owner has been breaking barriers since starting this journey in 1995, with the goal of reframing the way people perceive cannabis enthusiasts. After moving to Houston from San Francisco, California, he fell in love with the HTown culture and knew this was the perfect place to bring his ideas to life.
“Being from California it’s always been a part of the culture and who I am. The narratives around cannabis are negative. My idea when starting Gas Gods was to elevate the lifestyle, not dim it down to fit the stereotypical marijuana culture. That’s why you don’t see cartoon imagery. We have car meets, we have dinners, to change the narrative. So, people can see it more part of everyday life.”
It’s extremely common to hear non-consumers chastise smokers as if they’re a joke. Many movies, and tv shows perpetuate stereotypes of smokers being lazy people, criminals, gangsters, or airheads. It’s hard to tell where the start of these stereotypes began, but Gas Gods has done its due diligence to bring it to an end by advocating for the innumerable amount of consumers who prove them wrong. Those who work hard in blue and white collar industries, artists of all mediums, athletes, even people who find relief from physical or mental ailments all benefit from something that has been debated across the country for years. Drinking alcohol is known to have adverse consequences including failure of organs, driving fatalities, and other long term health deteriorating factors. Somehow it is still promoted as an acceptable pass time. Supporters of the GGs brand push a positive message of normalizing cannabis consumption as a substantially less harmful way to elevate your life, work and pass times.
The new Gas God’s location is a clean-cut brick and mortar with a modern layout and stronger retail feel than the first. More Gas Gods merchandise is available on-hand along with a few new features as they’ve teamed up with two other notable Houston brands Hogg Life, and Faded Decade to provide even more quality clothing and accessories. Some Gas Gods members were able to preview the new west side location at pop-up events during the week of Hurricane Beryl. Half the city was out of electricity, including the original location, but the Gas Gods team prioritized their members’ needs and made a way to move forward as best as possible in the new spot.
In the words of a GG crew member, “We wanted to show members, ‘hey we too are struggling without power, but we’re here for you.”
That’s the type of customer service members are thankful for and accustomed to, as Gas Gods prides itself in providing top notch service and merchandise. When thinking of a luxury car lot, or a luxury hotel, there are certain details you’d expect. The owner of Gas Gods uses their eye for luxury to ensure every detail of a person’s retail experience at Gas God’s is considered. From the packaging, the design, the black card VIP membership, safety protocols, every detail adds to the customer having an elevated experience. This extends into the events GGs has stamped with their unique twists that are completely wrapped in the Houston culture. Car meets where enthusiasts can enjoy themselves while scoping out classic cars, customized trucks, and slabs with music performers and live artists paintings. Private events like infused lunches, and multi-course dinners with special guests. Every event they put together is meant to gather and garner like-minded individuals who use cannabis consumption to complement their admirable lifestyles. Cannabis consumption doesn’t have to be restricted to parties or any other way stigma media leads some to believe It can be experienced with food, with art, during coffee discussions, during a classic car show, or deep discussions between people with respectful careers and a taste for the finer things in life. Gas Gods has excelled in establishing its great reputation but this is merely the beginning of what some may call an empire. The team has the momentum needed to not only embody the Houston culture at home, but to one day spread their mission, merchandise, and events to cities across the entire state.
As time moves on and talks of legalization continue, it’s fair to say the idea of cannabis consumption has become less taboo. More and more people are learning of the medical and psychiatric benefits that come from consumption in different forms. That causes a bit of empathy in non-consumers when they consider those who need it to cope with pain or heal from neurological onsets. That consideration has created a crack in the door for them to also see humanity in consumers, understanding they aren’t all bad influences or lazy addicts. Having these open conversations more often makes room for normalizing the choice to promote the community just as much as they have normalized alcohol. When the Gas Gods brand is seen, there’s no negative notions attached to it. The brand is a sign of luxury, grandeur, freedom, and exclusivity that people are proud to wear. Gas Gods is already ahead of the game in combining arts, fashion, and music. The new west location and each of its successors will be sure to give the same quality customer service and products as established in the first one. Keep an eye out for announcements of Gas God’s West’s grand opening coming September 1st, 2024.
