The Great Barrington-based dispensary proves that something’s been missing in the cannabis industry: a woman’s touch.
By Melissa Reid
Design lovers and cannabis enthusiasts alike can all agree that Great Barrington is home to some of the most inviting dispensaries in the region. And in a sea of similar sublimity, Rebelle stands out for its uniquely exquisite aesthetic.
Founder and CEO Charlotte Hanna knows a thing or two about good design. Coming from a family of developers—and working in the sector herself before joining the cannabis industry—she says that she grew up surrounded by floor plans. When she first began conceptualizing the look and feel of Rebelle—one of the first dispensaries to open on the East Coast—Hanna knew designing the right environment was essential. “I wanted to make the space inviting and create a warm and welcoming experience because, for many people, it’d be their first time visiting a dispensary,” she says. “I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of ‘Hygge,’ the Danish concept of creating a space that feels cozy.” (The term itself originates from “hugga,” a 16th-century Norwegian word meaning ‘to provide comfort.’) “There’s a reason why the Danish people are some of the happiest people on the planet even though they live in darkness half the year. It’s attributed to this idea of coziness and how they design spaces.”
For the woman and minority-owned business, Hanna wanted to embrace the essence of femme. The walls are adorned with wallpaper featuring beautifully provocative—yet tasteful—hand-drawn illustrations of nude women, for which Hanna purchased the rights. “After all, you must be 21 to enter the store anyway,” she says. There are no hard edges at Rebelle; instead, everything is curved, evoking a sense of softness and comfort.
Hanna also turned to talented local artisans to help create the dispensary’s unique ambiance and capture the essence of the region. Berkshire Products in Sheffield, MA supplied the wood, and Marveled Designs in Chatham, NY created beautiful, hand-poured terrazzo countertops that perfectly match the wallpaper. “Because it’s in the Berkshires and people here are very outdoorsy, I wanted to have a lot of wood and materials that felt complementary to each other as well as being natural and inviting.”
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