Well before BLKBRN Dispensary opened its doors in New Jersey less than six months ago, co-founder Jeff Jacobson knew how he wanted the space to feel: clean, high-contrast, and designed for connection.

“I’ve been in cannabis retail since 2017, and my background is in real estate development,” he said. “So, I’ve been comfortable working with architects and designers for years. For BLKBRN, we had the general layout already, but Display Dispensary took it to the next level.”

According to Jacobson, partnering with the fixtures-and-fabrication company was crucial in bringing his concept to life. BLKBRN needed a solution that blended efficiency with personality—not just stock fixtures dropped into a floor plan, but an intentional customer experience that could evolve with the ever-changing market.

“They were extremely knowledgeable about our business, which made the process easy,” Jacobson said. “We combined some of their available stock units with custom pieces, colors, and finishes to hit every angle of our intended design.”

Business Development Executive Georgia Peterman said Jacobson and his team presented the Display Dispensary crew with several intriguing challenges—just the kind of job they love. “When Jeff came to us, he had a loose concept and a tight deadline,” she said. “Our design team took his floor plan and created a rendering that matched his vision while solving practical challenges like customer flow and security concerns.”

The firm’s in-house design team, led by Design Director Matt Comiskey, worked closely with BLKBRN to bring the concept to life. “When dispensary owners send us their floor plans, we start by reviewing the project together and identifying which of our proven, in-stock components can be used as a foundation,” he said. “From there, we layer in custom elements like counters and cabinetry to create a look that’s unique to the client but still scalable and secure. Our scope on this project included the floor plan layout and a detailed rendering deck, which gave Jeff’s team a clear sense of how the space would function and feel.”

Once the framework was established, Comiskey handed the project to designer JoPari Dyer, who took the lead on translating the vision into a seamless customer experience. “For BLKBRN, we created a flow that feels intuitive and makes it easy for budtenders to work efficiently while customers explore the shop,” she said.

The resulting space balances aesthetics with function. Because New Jersey regulations do not allow products to be accessible to customers on the sales floor, BLKBRN operates under a fulfillment-style model with most inventory kept in the back. Lockable drawers in the floor units allow fast-moving products to be stored up front where they’re easy for staff to access. Custom cabinetry and counters give the shop a unique, elevated feel, while durable stock components ensure scalability and cost-efficiency.

Jacobson described the design with an analogy borrowed from his time working for Disney. “This landscape architect at the business used to design where sidewalks would go for commercial projects, but people would just end up walking across the grass and wearing it down,” he said. “One day, he decided he wasn’t going to put the sidewalks in first; he’d see where people tended to walk and then put them in. We applied that thinking to the dispensary. With so many market-driven changes, we wanted flexibility to adjust down the line.”

So, flexibility was built in from the start. The displays and glass showcases were designed to be refreshed frequently, keeping the environment lively by updating featured accessories, highlighting new brands, and showcasing local partnerships. Integrated TV screens rotate menus and promotions. The reception area can accommodate a walk-up pickup window in the future to stay on-trend with a feature that has proved popular among customers who prefer to order online and grab their products on the go.

Although utility and practicality governed the design process, the centerpiece of the space is far from utilitarian: A sculptural wooden tree winds upward from the floor and wraps into the ceiling. The tree is more than décor; it’s a symbol of BLKBRN’s roots. “Two of our founding partners went to Howard University, where there’s a famous building called the Blackburn Center,” Jacobson said. “Out front is this tree that was a real gathering place, sort of like a melting pot for the whole community. Everyone would hang out there, and we wanted to bring that same feeling here; make this a space where anyone from any walk of life can feel welcome.”

Building around the tree challenged the Display Dispensary team to engineer fixtures and create sightlines that complemented the installation without disrupting customer flow. But with more than 100 years of retail design expertise behind them, the team had a nearly limitless well of creativity and insight to draw from as it accomplished the project’s goals on time and within budget.

For Display Dispensary, BLKBRN was an ideal project to showcase the company’s specialty: tailoring a mix of proven, in-stock solutions with custom fabrication to meet a client’s unique vision on a tight deadline.

“They came to us with a blank slate and a two-month window,” Peterman said. “We worked hand-in-hand with their team from floor plan to final install, guiding the process, balancing the budget, and making sure everything arrived together so the store could open on time.

“We love projects like this,” she added. “They let us flex both sides of our offerings: our deep catalog of proven components and our ability to deliver custom elements quickly.”

The finished product is exactly what Jacobson envisioned: a modern-day gathering spot that nods to history while being ready for the future.