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When the first iteration of Flight Lounge opened in 2018, it was a different time in Portland’s cannabis scene. The space had cracked the public consumption code by operating as a private membership club, à la an Elks lodge, providing accessories, ample ventilation and vibes without selling any cannabis products on the premises.
The BYOC model was akin to that at the NW Cannabis Club on Powell, which was still puffin’ along at that time, hosting cloudy concerts and filling its back patio most weekends. TED Talk-styled Toke Talks were still happening in 2018 as well, that year bringing together cultivators, science nerds, and the creative community at the Armory. The late HiFi Farms was still hosting intimate, consumption-friendly concerts in a historic Craftsman home in Southeast, and the blind-judged and science-driven cannabis cup, Cultivation Classic, was thriving in its third year.
Five years and a global pandemic later, all of these experiences are no longer—all, except for Flight Lounge. Thank goodness for that, not just because Rose City cannabis enthusiasts deserve a special, cannabis-centric destination, but for the fact that a great deal of the cannabis-consuming population cannot legally consume at home.
If you live in a dorm, federally regulated building or most apartment buildings in town, you aren’t allowed to smoke indoors. Although it’s legal to possess, landlords can write their own smoking policies that supersede state laws deeming private residences the only legal place to light up. If you’re a tourist staying in a hotel, same deal—it’s up to the hotel, and most are 100% not OK with smoking in their suites or on their balconies.
“We legalized cannabis, but we banned social consumption,” says Flight Lounge co-founder Leia Flynn when it first opened. “Where are people supposed to smoke? If you’re over 21, you should be able to walk into a private business and consume it responsibly.”
For those reasons, Flight Lounge is an extremely vital part of Portland’s cannabis scene. Also for those reasons, it really doesn’t have to do much more than open its doors and stock adequate alcohol swabs to sanitize the accessories and smoking paraphernalia to maintain a customer base. However, Flynn and fellow co-founder Joshua Young go far beyond the bare minimum, a point that’s clear the minute you walk into either of Flight Lounge’s warm, welcoming and local art-covered locations.
Initially positioned to be Portland’s answer to an Amsterdam coffee house, Flight Lounge has evolved to fit its members’ needs. The Northeast Sandy location—Flight Lounge Cafe—serves as a true wake-and-bake destination, serving full-service brunches in a charmingly kooky atmosphere filled with locally made art, Portland imagery, and cannabis- and cloud-themed décor.
The newer Oregon City location—formerly occupied by Kaleafa dispensary, now referred to as Flight Lounge O.C.—is as much a cannabis-friendly entertainment venue as it is a smoking lounge, featuring comedy shows, dance competitions and a big upcoming 4/20 celebration. There’s also a weed-friendly bed and breakfast attached to the Oregon City location.
The process of membership at both clubs is quick and easy, with many signing up at the door, much like paying a cover charge to get into a nightclub. Dues are $10 for an annual membership, plus $5 per visit, but you can have that $5 entry fee waived if you order a meal. Once proof of age is verified, fees are paid, and a liability waiver and NDA are signed, you’re ready for takeoff.
It’s up to you to bring your own flower or concentrates from home, but Flight Lounge has all other accoutrements covered—every guest has access to a fresh tray holding a silicone dab mat, a metal tool for clearing bowls and handling sticky concentrates, and lighter and alcohol wipes for resin-coated fingertips and keeping any pipe or bong mouthpieces as clean as you like between tokes.
Is this the calm, laptop-friendly weed cafe that some of us would love to work from remotely? No. Does its lively atmosphere speak to all cannabis-consuming preferences? Not exactly. But it is a gift for adults in the area to have a place to freely smoke flower without stressing about the risk of eviction.
Hopefully, the ongoing success of Flight Lounge shows that our strict consumption laws and Indoor Clean Air Act don’t mean public cannabis experiences can’t happen. This writer sincerely hopes others are inspired by this to restart their former activities or start something new, because Portland’s cannabis scene could and should be so much more. Flight Lounge proves most anything is possible if you cross your t’s, dot your i’s, and listen to the weed needs of the people.
GO: Flight Lounge Cafe, 5944 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-954-9269, flightlounge.biz. 10 am-2 pm Tuesday-Friday, 10 am-3 pm Saturday and Sunday. Flight Lounge O.C., 19199 S Molalla Drive, Oregon City. 6-10 pm Thursday, 7 pm-midnight Friday and Saturday.