Chris Kuilan, Owner and Founder of Stoops NYC – Interview Series

Initially hailed as a groundbreaking initiative, the Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program represents a pivotal effort by the New York Office of Cannabis Management to champion social equity and diversity within the state’s emerging industry. Given the scale of New York and the many communities historically impacted by past cannabis policies, the potential for such a sweeping program is immense.

To gain a deeper understanding of the CAURD program’s true effectiveness and the realities of operating a cannabis business in the metropolitan landscape of New York City, mycannabis.com spoke with Chris Kuilan, Owner and Founder of Stoops NYC.

You grew up in New York City. What was your neighborhood like, and how did that environment shape your mindset as an entrepreneur?

Growing up in New York teaches you how to survive. Everything moves fast, everyone’s hustling, and you learn early that if you want something you have to go get it yourself. My neighborhood had a lot of energy, a lot of personalities, and a lot of people trying to figure out how to make something out of nothing. New York teaches you how to hustle, but more importantly it teaches you how to survive.

That environment makes you sharp. You learn how to read people, how to adapt, and how to keep pushing even when things aren’t easy.

Who were some of the early influences in your life that helped shape your work ethic?

A lot of my work ethic came from watching people around me work hard just to get by. Family members, people in the community — people who carried responsibilities and handled them without excuses. I was raised around people who didn’t complain about obstacles — they figured out how to work through them.

Seeing that growing up really shaped how I approach business today.

Before entering the legal market in New York, you spent time around the legacy cannabis scene, including time in California. What did that experience teach you about the culture and business of cannabis?

Before entering the legal market, I spent time around the legacy cannabis scene and also observed how things were developing in places like California. What it showed me is that cannabis culture has always been driven by community and entrepreneurship long before legalization.

The legacy market created a deep knowledge base around the plant — everything from quality and cultivation to consumer preferences and branding. A lot of the people who built that culture were operating in difficult circumstances, but they still developed a real understanding of the product and the market.

The legal industry didn’t create cannabis culture — it inherited it. Seeing that firsthand gave me great respect for the plant’s history and the people who shaped the industry long before it became legal. It also helped me understand that if you’re going to build a successful legal business, you have to respect that culture and learn from it.

 What differences stood out to you between the cannabis ecosystem in California and what you later saw developing in New York?

California felt like a market that had already matured. Cannabis culture was visible, consumers were used to it, and businesses had time to develop systems.

New York felt different because the industry was being built in real time. The potential was huge, but the framework around it was still evolving.

In California the market built the system. In New York we’re trying to build businesses while the system is still being built.

When New York announced that justice-impacted individuals would be prioritized for retail licenses under the CAURD program, what made you decide to take that leap?

For me it felt like history being made. For decades, people from certain communities were punished for cannabis while others eventually profited from it. For the first time it felt like the people who paid the highest price during prohibition were finally being invited into the legal industry.

I believed in the mission behind the program and wanted to be part of building something new.

Why did you choose the name Stoops NYC, and what does the stoop represent?

In New York, the stoop is where life happens. It’s where neighbors talk, kids hang out, people debate, laugh, and connect. The stoop represents community. The stoop is where New York conversations happen. I wanted the store to feel like an extension of that.

When you first heard about the Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund through DASNY, what were your expectations?

At the time it sounded like real support. Opening a legal dispensary in New York is extremely expensive, especially in Manhattan. The idea that the state would help equity operators secure locations and complete buildouts sounded like a way to level the playing field. We believed the program was designed to remove barriers, not create new ones.

At what point did you begin to realize the financial structure tied to the DASNY buildout might create long-term challenges?

Once the details and the numbers started becoming clearer. When operators don’t have much control over the costs being generated, but they’re still responsible for paying those costs back over time, it creates a difficult situation. When you don’t control the costs but you carry the debt, that’s a difficult position for any business.

How have loan obligations and current market conditions affected how you operate Stoops NYC day to day?

They force you to operate carefully and stay disciplined. Every decision matters — inventory, staffing, pricing, marketing. In this market you can’t afford inefficiency. Every decision matters. The margins are tight and the competition is real, so operators have to stay sharp.

You’re involved with CAURD Inc. What led you to join that effort?

Because a lot of operators were dealing with the same challenges but facing them alone. Individually our voices are small. Collectively we can actually influence the conversation. CAURD Inc. allows equity operators to share information and advocate for improvements that can strengthen the system.

If you could sit down with state lawmakers for an honest conversation, what would you want them to understand?

I would want them to understand that the people who believed in this program stepped forward in good faith. Many of us invested our time, money, and energy into building these businesses because we believed the system was designed to support equity. Good intentions are important, but good structure is what determines whether businesses survive.

A lot of equity operators didn’t enter this industry looking for sympathy — we entered believing the system would give us a fair shot. And ultimately, the real measure of success will be long-term sustainability.

The success of equity in New York won’t be measured by how many licenses were issued — it will be measured by how many businesses actually survive.

Looking ahead, what does success look like for Stoops NYC — and what needs to change for cannabis equity in New York to truly work?

Success for Stoops NYC means building something that lasts — a real New York brand that’s rooted in culture and community. But the system also has to evolve if equity is going to work the way it was intended.

Opening the door is one thing — making sure people can stay in the room is another. Equity operators need a fair opportunity not just to open, but to succeed. A license shouldn’t just be an opportunity to open a store. It should be an opportunity to build generational wealth. Because at the end of the day: If equity businesses fail, the promise of equity fails with them. And ultimately: Equity shouldn’t just mean the opportunity to open a store — it should mean the opportunity to build something that lasts.