Entrepreneurs pitch alcohol‑free cannabis lounge for downtown Loveland, ask council for pilot work session

Brooke Anderson, co‑founder of Grumpy Rhino, and Laurel Crater, an experienced Colorado cannabis operator, presented a proposal for an alcohol‑free cannabis hospitality lounge in downtown Loveland and requested that council direct staff to schedule a work session to draft a limited pilot with guardrails.

Anderson described the team’s hospitality and operational expertise and said the proposed lounge would emphasize "clean operations, trained staff, calm floor, interior queuing, and a guest experience built for conversation, not chaos." She said the lounge would coordinate with a cannabis attorney and follow local and state regulatory requirements.

Laurel Crater, who identified herself as a Colorado industry manager and general manager of a leading dispensary, said operators would perform strict ID checks, train staff to refuse service when appropriate, and offer sober‑transport options. "I will train teams to recognize when to slow service, offer water and time, or simply say not tonight," Crater said.

The presenters asked the council to initiate a city work session to build a pilot that protects neighbors and aligns with state rules. No council decision was taken at the meeting; the request was entered into the public record for staff consideration.

Next steps: presenters requested a city work session; staff and council must decide whether to schedule that session and how to draft any local rules or pilot parameters.