Shire Glass Co. Adds An Artistic Element To The Cannabis Experience

Shire Glass Co. in Great Barrington was selling CBD and cannabis accessories long before dispensaries started popping up like CVSs everywhere in the Berkshires. But now that there are, four, five, six? (the number grows weekly, it seems) dispensaries in town, the little cottage on Railroad Street should be the designated destination after consumers have made their cannabis purchases. It's just a hop, skip and a jump to the enchanting shop filled with accessories that are as much works of art as they are functional. There’s such a happy vibe inside that you could be on a high when you’re there, whether you've already imbibed or not. The sparkle of the glass accoutrements (which you’re not likely to find in the dispensaries), the appealing display of the items and the open-hearted welcome of the shop owners create a little world of its own. Shire Glass is both smoke shop and wonder emporium.

It's obvious that the huge collection of glass art pieces — bongs, bubble caps, cone rings, rigs, chillums, spoons — are made by highly skilled artists, most of them regional or local. The store also sells an impressive selection of rolling supplies, pipe cleaners and brushes, decorative rolling trays and vintage ash trays. But there’s more than cannabis paraphernalia here — handmade jewelry, plants and small furniture pieces crafted by a local woodworker, t-shirts and cannabis journals. Used books, too, which are some of the shop’s best-selling items.

“We sell a little bit of everything,” says co-owner Maggie Bona. “We want to keep it local and fun. If you can’t find a store for your product, we’ll find a place for it here.”

Credit for the display aesthetics goes to Bona, who has an eye and takes the lead on working with and buying from the glass artists, says the store's founder, Matthew Meandro.. A former attorney, Meandro left a prestigious practice and sidetracked into substitute teaching for a while before opening the shop with a friend six years ago. The friend left, and Bona bought in two years ago. Last fall, the duo opened a sister shop, Shire Rabbit, a DIY and homestead supply store located in the Flying Church. Shire Rabbit sold fermentation and gin maker kits, breadmaking cultures, mushroom starters, seeds and harvest tools. But, as it turned out, it wasn’t the right time for that business in that location, Bona admits. Her mother passed away in November, and between inflation and the unavailability of goods, it was a better business decision to combine the stores. Bona and Meandro are in the process of bringing Shire Rabbit goods to Shire Glass, so customers will be able to get supplies of all kinds at the shop.

If you’re new to cannabis culture, this is a nonthreatening place to learn how to use your weed purchases. Or find out more about CBD, if that’s your thing, which is available there, too.

“Sometimes people feel stupid when they come in,” Bona says, but they shouldn’t;  Shire Glass is a no-judgment zone. Meandro and Bona are there to offer support. “We teach people how to use papers all day long,” she adds.

Like the cannabis dispensaries, Shire Glass Co. is restricted to adults 21 and older, but don’t expect it to feel like the old Spencer’s at the mall when you were a kid. It’s all clean cannabis fun.

“We like to think of ourselves as the non-XXX adult toy store,” Meandro says. One with really pretty things.