The Story Behind Viola Brands
Every great brand has a story rooted in something real, something personal. For us at Village Brands Dispensary, that story begins with Viola Brands, the foundation upon which everything we do was built. In 2011, Dan and Al Harrington founded Viola Brands out of a deeply personal mission. Al, a former NBA player who spent time on the court with the Denver Nuggets, watched his grandmother Viola struggle with glaucoma and high blood pressure. He knew cannabis could help, but convincing her was another challenge entirely. She was resistant at first, skeptical like so many people of her generation. But when she finally tried it, the changes were immediate and undeniable. That moment changed everything for Al and set the course for what Viola Brands would become.
The brand carries her name proudly. Viola is more than a label on a product. It represents the compassion, conviction, and family-first values that drive every decision we make. From day one, Viola Brands was about serving people who needed cannabis most, including those battling cancer and HIV. It was never about chasing trends or cashing in on a booming industry. It was about providing real relief to real people, and that purpose continues to guide us as a cannabis dispensary committed to quality and care.
From Medical Roots to a Recreational Powerhouse
Viola Brands started in the medical cannabis space, serving patients in Colorado who relied on cannabis as a critical part of their health and wellness routines. The early years were focused on making a genuine impact in people’s lives, understanding their needs, and delivering products that met the highest standards. As Colorado’s recreational market opened up, Viola Brands grew naturally into that space, bringing the same quality and intentionality to a broader audience.
From Colorado, the expansion moved to Oregon, and the momentum kept building. Since 2020, Viola Brands has launched in over 12 different markets as well as Canada, establishing a presence that spans the continent. This growth has never been about expansion for its own sake. Each new market represents an opportunity to connect with communities, offer carefully curated cannabis products, and build something meaningful. When you walk into our recreational dispensary locations in Broadview & Chicago, IL, & Hoboken, NJ, you will find Viola Brands products on our shelves because we believe in what the brand represents and the standard it upholds.
Building Generational Wealth in Communities That Matter
One of the most important pillars of Viola Brands is its commitment to building generational wealth in Black and brown communities. The cannabis industry has a complicated history, and too many of the communities most impacted by prohibition have been left out of the legal market’s economic benefits. Viola Brands was founded with the explicit intention of changing that narrative. Al and Dan set out to create pathways for ownership, employment, and investment that would benefit communities historically excluded from the industry.
This commitment is not just aspirational language on a website. It is embedded in the way the company operates, the partnerships it forms, and the people it empowers. When you support Viola Brands at our marijuana dispensary locations, you are supporting a brand that actively works to ensure cannabis industry wealth flows into communities that deserve it most.
How Viola Brands Lives Inside Village Brands Dispensary
In 2019, Dan created Village Brands Dispensary, which started as a company focused on acquiring licenses in limited market states, launching the retail side of the business. The name was inspired by the idea that it takes a village to raise a child, and that philosophy runs through everything we do. We are not your ordinary flower shop. We are a weed dispensary experience built around community, connection, and carefully curated quality. Big corporations were not connecting with people in the markets they served, and we saw an opportunity to do things differently. We are multi-state, but we are home to you, wherever you find us across New Jersey & Missouri.
Viola Brands products are sold within our Village Brands Dispensary stores, creating a seamless connection between the brand that started it all and the retail experience we have built. Our menu reflects this relationship in several key ways:
- Curated product selection that prioritizes quality flower, concentrates, and edibles from Viola Brands alongside other premium partners
- Staff education programs that ensure our team understands the story, sourcing, and specifications behind every Viola product
- Community-driven retail that makes every visitor feel welcome, whether you are a seasoned cannabis enthusiast or stepping into a dispensary for the first time
We carefully curate our menu based on quality and experience because we believe you deserve nothing less. Every Viola Brands product on our shelves has earned its place through rigorous standards and genuine impact. When you visit our cannabis dispensary locations in Broadview & Chicago, IL, & Hoboken, NJ, you are not just shopping. You are stepping into a story that began with a grandmother named Viola, grew through purpose and determination, and continues to evolve through the community we are building together. That is the Village Brands Dispensary difference, and Viola is where it all started.
