Treehouse Lounge, Ozarks’ first cannabis bar, offers private club for marijuana fans
Communal cannabis consumption is no longer limited to a friend’s basement. Following the legalization of recreational marijuana in Missouri, those who partake can now enjoy a more elevated experience: a private lounge.
The Treehouse Lounge is the Ozarks’ first private cannabis lounge, located in the Summers at the River Sports Complex in Nixa. Marijuana and marijuana products will not be for sale at the lounge. Rather, the lounge is designed as a comfortable space for marijuana consumption and education. Co-owner AJ Chamberlain described it as a “YMCA for cannabis.”
The Treehouse Lounge officially opens Saturday, Nov. 11, but a few events are already on the calendar and the venue hosted a Pumpkin Paint & Pass Night on Thursday with local artist Cory Naden.
Once the lounge is officially open next month, it will be open on Friday from 5-10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Chamberlain said in the future, these hours will be expanded
Canna-curious to canna-sseur
The Treehouse Lounge is designed for both long-time stoners and cannabis newcomers, Chamberlain said.
While the lounge is not authorized to sell marijuana or marijuana-infused products, it does offer members a variety of equipment for cannabis consumption. For those who may be more experienced, The Treehouse Lounge features a rosin press, a machine that uses heat and pressure to separate the cannabinoids and terpenes from the raw marijuana plant material, according to Pure Pressure, a marijuana rosin manufacturer. In layman’s terms, a rosin press lets users make their own marijuana extract, the most concentrated form of marijuana.
The Treehouse Lounge also rents marijuana smoking equipment, including various-sized bowls, gravity bongs and vaporizers like the Volcano vaporizer and Puff Co. Peak Pro. Chamberlain said rentals will run between $5-20 a day, depending on the piece, and will be cleaned thoroughly after each use by lounge staff.
The Treehouse Lounge is the Ozarks’ first private cannabis lounge, located in the Summers of the River Sports Complex in Nixa.
Chamberlain said once the lounge’s hours are fully expanded, he hopes for the space to serve as a “hangout” during the day, where folks can watch television, play board games or work on their laptops, with a focus on events in the evening. These events may include holiday parties, concerts featuring local bands or food truck festivals.
Educational classes will also be an integral part of The Treehouse Lounge, co-owner Anthony Bingham said, with classes addressing how marijuana has changed over the years, the difference between Sativa and Indica strains, how to cultivate marijuana at home and “marijuana manners,” a class dedicated to etiquette.
“I think it just kind of provides a space where more people can talk about it (marijuana) like a normal thing,” Bingham said about the lounge. “Like, ‘What’s your favorite beer?’ (and) ‘Well what’s your favorite strain (of marijuana)?'”
Chamberlain said The Treehouse Lounge team was inspired by marijuana lounges like The Cola Lounge, a private cannabis lounge in St. Louis that has been in operation since 2019.
Lounge operates as ‘private club’ outside of city limits
Though The Treehouse Lounge’s address is listed in Nixa, the lounge is located outside of city limits, per the City of Nixa’s Community Map. This excludes the lounge from Nixa’s smoking ban, which prohibits smoking in public areas including, but not limited to, restaurants, retail stores, educational facilities, health care facilities and theaters.
Even if the lounge was located within city limits, it would be excluded from this ban, as The Treehouse Lounge operates as a “private club,” according to the business’ Articles of Operation. This means that patrons must be a “member” of the club to enter; the lounge is not open to the general public.
Membership tiers
The Treehouse Lounge offers three different membership tiers, ranging from daily passes to annual memberships. A daily pass is $15, which includes access to the lounge for one day. Weekly passes are $35 and annual passes are $420, Chamberlain said. Annual passes include access to a locker space at the lounge and half off the cost of all events. All members must be at least 21 years old and will be required to sign an entry waiver. Children and adults under the age of 21 are not allowed inside the space.
