Stephen Wildermuth, for the readers at home who don’t know, what is a Bear in the gay community?
Let’s see, how do I say this politely? A “Bear” is a gay male with some fur and usually with a few extra pounds. We’ve got five bears. Three own the store, and then three bears that work within the store. They’re not the same three bears. I’m the only one that’s in both groups.
And what’s awesome about being a Bear?
Body positivity, learning to love yourself for who you are and being appreciated for that body.
Would you say that the positive nature of the Bear way is reflected within Better Daze?
Definitely. Our main goal is we don’t want to feel like you’re going to the store to buy weed. You know the coolest part about buying weed is going and hanging out with a friend and buying some weed from them. Unfortunately, you can’t smoke in the store, but we want all of the other parts of the experience to be the same. We want to learn all of our customers’ names, and we want to make it feel less like a transaction and more like a hookup from a homie.
Describe Better Daze’s aesthetic and your favorite part of it?
It doubles as an art gallery. We host several local artists that curate their own stations. So we have some jewelry makers, some crochet art, we have a painter, and we have a photographer. When you come in you’re waiting to go into the budroom for your turn, but you can browse the art and look at the prints, or look at the jewelry, or look at the photographs. That way you’re not just sitting in what a lot of dispensaries’ waiting rooms look like, which is a clinic waiting to get your name called to go back.
Why is that important to you?
I think that every local business should have strong ties to the community, especially in an industry like ours, where we’re kind of on the fringe. We should be pushing for more community values and finding ways to give back. It is a little hard when you’re in cannabis, so finding unique and different ways to support local art is important.
What is your favorite thing to do while you’re high?
I like to do karaoke, and honestly, I can’t do it without smoking some weed to get the nerve to get up there.
What’s your favorite karaoke song?
“All of Me” by John Legend.
What’s the weirdest thought or weirdest thing you’ve done while high?
Have you ever seen the movie Elf (2003)? You know that nasty spaghetti shit he makes? Me and my friend Melissa got super high one day, and we made it. Ramen noodles and candy and all the shit we had in our kitchen. And it was not only the weirdest thing I’ve ever done when I was high, it’s also the most disgusting thing I’ve ever done.
Dream Pride Month Gay Icon Blunt Rotation?
I’m gonna say Katya of Trixie and Katya. She’s definitely gonna have to be there. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy is definitely gonna be there. I don’t think a single Bear is in this. Christina Aguilera and Cher have gotta be there.
Advice for newbies?
People new to being gay or new to smoking weed? The advice is the same for both: Taking time. You don’t have to go full speed ahead and do the most at the beginning. Let’s say you’re doing edibles. If you start taking edibles at 100 milligrams a pop, it’s gonna take 100 milligrams a pop to get you high. If you start with five milligrams, you’re going to get high on five milligrams. So start slow, take it easy. Don’t just jump into the deep end — wade out to the deep end. Because if you jump in the deep end, that’s the only spot that’s going to do it for you.
