NORTH CENTER — Canna Bella Lux-branded flower, edibles and infused teas will soon be available for the first time — and they’re aiming at helping people, especially women, find relief.
The business had a store in North Center for several years where owner Tiffany Woodman sold a curated selection of glass pipes, starter kits, vaping products and designer joint cones, as well as harder-to-find cannabis tools. But Woodman was not able to offer cannabis products.
Now, Woodman has partnered with The 1937 Group, a minority-owned cannabis company, to sell Canna Bella Lux’s first cannabis products. They could go on sale by this summer, with products focusing on luxury strains of cannabis that will provide users with pain relief, Woodman said.
“I’m looking at different things that can help soothe or just offer relief,” like products that can help people experiencing menopause with their hot flashes, Woodman said.
Woodman opened her North Center boutique in 2020 because she wanted to create a welcoming space for people interested in recreational cannabis.
Rising rent and bills led Woodman to reassess her business model, and she decided to let her lease expire in November, she said. She’s shifted to online sales.
Around the time Woodman closed her physical store, she connected with The 1937 Group at an industry event.
The 1937 Group is a parent company for various Illinois cannabis companies, including cultivation operation Helios Labs, Parkway Dispensary and transportation company Highwaymen Security.
The 1937 Group made an agreement with another local, woman-owned cannabis company, Bedford Grow, which will cultivate exclusive, luxury cannabis flower focused on terpenes and relief for Woodman’s brand.
That partnership is what will allow Woodman to help craft Canna Bella-branded flowers pre-rolls, infused teas and edibles.
“They have the licenses to cultivate, to infuse, to sell, all of that. If they didn’t have all of these licenses, it would be much harder to do what we’re doing,” Woodman said.
The products could be available at local dispensaries by this summer, Woodman said. She’ll also have her cannabis products sold via The 1937 Group’s dispensaries once they’re done with licensing and open to the public.
The 1937 Group has been supportive of Woodman’s efforts to include more women in the cannabis industry, she said. Woodman — who is Italian and Puerto Rican — has held events to bring together women of color so they can collectively elevate their profiles in the industry.
“They’ve never told me to shy away from anything that I want to do or distrust my opinion. Because they understand that it’s really vital for women to have a voice in this and to let a woman lead the way with what she wants,” Woodman said. “The 1937 Group has full trust in me that I know what I’m doing to bring them to market with women.”
Woodman plans to continue selling her cannabis accessories online for now — and she’s talking to other boutiques and dispensaries about carrying her non-cannabis accessories, she said.
“The goal is that women will be able to have their Canna Bella products on the shelf, on the go, and whenever they need relief with fashion and function,” Woodman said.
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