Green Light District (GLD) is a one-stop smoke shop with a significant history steeped in glass culture. Located in Tigard, Oregon, this prodigious store opened on Oct.10, 2010 (10-10-10), and has been raising the bar on functional glass retail for almost 15 years.
Co-owners Aubré Webb and Eric Weeks are no rookies in the borosilicate game. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, they’ve been around the torch a couple of times and have seen the expansion of heady glass from something of a smaller, niche interest into the irrefutable pillar of Cannabis culture and artistic expression it is today.
GLD carries a wide range of products with a strong emphasis on showcasing American-made items. From old-school spoon-shaped bowls to 2-foot-tall UV dab rigs shaped like aliens (shoutout Laceface Glass), the establishment is a virtual museum of functional smokeware and accessories. Local artists like Scomo Moanet, Northern Waters Glass, Jedi Glass, Don Chile Ortega, and Boro Farm are featured prominently with their own displays. Signs are placed in the cases with a number of miles that indicate how far each glassblower actually lives from the location. The idea that such awe-inspiring pieces could be created as close as 10 minutes away from the very spot customers are standing sparks a feeling of connectedness with the art and drives home the significance of the local scene here in Oregon.
Of particular interest, GLD possesses one of the largest collections of Boro Derby cars in existence, with more than 20 vehicles carefully arranged on the shelves. In regards to the Derby, Weeks explains, “Some people make a car that’s just going to get a laugh; some people will make a car they’ll actually try to win with by going down the track faster than anybody else.” Featuring all the excitement of Hot Wheels and all the smokability of a fully fledged pipe, these borosilicate-based automobiles really put the fun in functional.
Outside of glass, the store also stocks quite the conglomeration of counterculture commodities. “We sell everything from vaporizers to joint papers, but we also try to run a business that caters to more than just smoking needs,” Webb explains. “You could bring your grandmother in here, and she’s going to find at least a few things she’s interested in.”
Patrons can browse handmade tie-dyes designed by Weeks, candles, earrings and even novelties like tarot cards. This isn’t the den of iniquity that non-Cannabis consumers may picture when they hear the phrase head shop, the vibe here is bright, giving off a friendly impression of comfortability with an almost punk-rock twist.
While there have been some ups and downs in the market in recent years, Webb and Weeks maintain a steadfast commitment to the culture and an enthusiastic passion for the art. “We hope people continue to find a connection to it.” Webb notes, “I still have the first piece I ever bought over 20 years ago. We love seeing customers appreciate and really focus on the art of it. We’d love to encourage anyone to stop in and experience it for themselves.”
