Many retail dispensaries claim to be about their local community, a chosen few really live by that. Catalyst retail dispensaries and their owner Elliott Lewis definitely walk the walk. They embody their mission statement “Weed for the People” everyday with their interactions with everyone from vendors to customers.
On any given day you’re likely to see them voluntarily cleaning up the streets and highway off ramps around their retail stores, uplifting the community, canvassing local neighborhoods gaining support to expand access to cannabis for everyone, or donating employee time to help those in need.
Catalyst Downtown Long Beach is a locally owned and operated cannabis dispensary serving Long Beach and the surrounding areas of Carson, Compton, Signal Hill and Lakewood.
Catalyst is always actively seeking partnerships with local businesses to host community events to show visitors and residents what the Historic Pine District in Downtown Long Beach has to offer. This store has been over four years in the making, so visit us today and see what it’s all about!
Location: 433 Pine Ave Unit 500, Long Beach, CA 90802
Hours: Daily 9AM-9:30PM
Website: Catalyst- Downtown Long Beach
Deals: Daily- Alien Labs and Connected
Weekly- Deals Everyday
Monthly- Kanha Day
The Origins of Catalyst
Like a lot of the California veterans, Catalyst founder and CEO Elliot Lewis has been around the cannabis scene long before it was legal and accepted.
He got his start in Berkeley way back in 1996 as a legacy cultivator. This was during the very early days of California’s medical marijuana program and retail dispensaries we’re even really a concept yet.
“I was one of the first patients at Berkeley Patients Group in 1999, and it was a really cool spot to hangout between then and 2001 when I graduated.” said Lewis. Little did he know at the time how much things would come full circle almost twenty years later.
After spending roughly a decade traveling and then working in real estate, he got back into cultivation in early 2013, running four outdoor farms up north and three indoor spots in SoCal.
From 2016-20, he was part of a group that owned and operated four Connected retail shops under a brand agreement. In June 2020 they decided to go their separate ways…and Catalyst was born.
Catalyst Cares
Catalyst Care’s mission is to bring our “Weed for the People” philosophy beyond our stores and into our surrounding communities.
Our core values: Labor, Community, Social Equity, Social Justice and Best Prices will drive our direction to bring equity and accessibility to the cannabis industry, specifically to the communities most impacted by the War on Drugs and the criminalization of cannabis.
Are you a local organization that would like to partner with our work in the community? Email/fill out this FORM to get involved.
Community Partners- Weed For Warriors, Life Stream Blood Bank
Employee Spotlight
Ivan Reyes, March 2023 Employee of the Month
“Ivan has been with us since the opening of catalyst DTLB back in 2021. In my opinion his biggest strong suit it his ability to influence his fellow bud tenders into creating good habits. From why he’s so punctual to why he gravitates to the brands the he smokes. Some of his favorite brands include: Alien labs, Team Elite Genetics, No till Kings and Royal Key” – GM Martin Gaona
Future Plans
Catalyst began with a single shop back in 2020, and they have 18 locations open today.
Their plan is to be up to approximately 27 California locations by the end of 2023, with future expansion into other states on the horizon as well.
Each store has a Catalyst Cares ambassador, which is a huge part of who they are. They make sure as Catalyst grows, they don’t lose that connection to the community, and the focus of always giving back to their local communities, new or old.
That is music to the ears of customers and employees alike, and it means you can expect to see a lot more of #WEEDFORTHEPEOPLE.
Make sure you stop into your local Catalyst location every week for Beard Bros Thursday.
Enjoyed that first hit? Come chill with us every week at the Friday Sesh for a freshly packed bowl of the week’s best cannabis news!
