LOS ANGELES—Theresa Flynt, daughter of Larry and the force behind the establishment and growth of the nationwide chain of Hustler Hollywood stores, has just assumed the role of vice president of business development ... for cannabis industry consultants (and eventual retailers) Pineapple Express.
"Theresa is an experienced leader with a proven 20-year track record of groundbreaking success," said Pineapple Express CEO, chairman and co-founder Matthew Feinstein in a press release. "She took the adult novelty industry by storm, creating its first mainstream retail chain with the Hustler Hollywood stores. We look forward to giving Theresa the opportunity to begin this next chapter of her career by working with Pineapple Express to create similar value for our branding partners and tenants within the canna-business industry. She will be a tremendous asset to our company, and we are proud to add her to our executive team."
As several former adult industry entrepreneurs have discovered, cannabis retailing and its supporting industries are beginning to take the place in commerce once occupied by the adult industry itself—and are facing many similar barriers to becoming mainstream. As was once the case with adult video/novelty retailers, cannabis retailers are severely limited as to where their stores can be located, and in the several states (like California) that have legalized the weed for medical purposes, entry to the stores is barred to those under 18, and to any adults who do not have a doctor's recommendation for its use.
And, of course, like adult content, conservatives have claimed that pot is bad for people, despite the fact that its effects on the body are significantly more benign than alcohol, nicotine and even caffeine.
"I know that the adult industry that we've seen over the years, both at AVN and Hustler Hollywood, faced many of the same challenges that this industry now faces," Flynt told AVN. "I think it's that sort of experience that I have to offer in my role with Pineapple Express."
We asked Flynt how she wound up in her new position.
"It's pretty simple: They recruited me," she said. "I mean, I had been looking at the industry anyway; I've been monitoring and following the industry myself because I believe in it, I believe in the magic of it and it's the future."
According to its press release, Pineapple Express is a Los Angeles-based publicly traded company that invests in, expands, and brands existing and newly established canna-businesses through expert consulting and cutting-edge technology. It also provides capital to its canna-business clientele, leases real properties to canna-businesses, and provides consulting and technology to operators within the cannabis industry.
Flynt's duties at Pineapple Express will include advising clients on how to grow their businesses, increase market penetration and profits. She will also help in creating Pineapple Express's brand recognition and selling that brand to existing retailers—or, as the company puts it, "Pineapple-ization."
"Well, I just started yesterday so it's premature for me to go into that," Flynt responded when asked about her plans for the company, noting that Pineapple Express's press release set forth much of what she and the company have in store. "But I'm definitely excited. I'm sure this is the future, for sure, and I am amazed by how many from the adult industry are getting involved."
The company intends to open a chain of cannabis retail stores as soon as federal law makes that possible.
