A former NFL player and “Real Housewives” reality-TV star is developing a national chain of hookah-bar nightclubs featuring smokable hemp – and he’s eyeing Augusta, Savannah and Athens as likely future locations.
CRU Lounge recently opened its 20th location in Austin, Texas. CRU touts itself in promotional materials as “the largest Black-owned nightlife chain” and the nation’s biggest hookah lounge chain. Hookah bars offer flavored tobaccos that patrons smoke from communal water pipes.
Dennis McKinley leads Detroit Equities, an Atlanta-based branding company that runs two franchises: CRU, and The Original Hot Dog Co. He also was a fullback and special-teams player for the Arizona Cardinals from 1999 to 2002, and a recurring cast member on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
“CRU, which was created over 10 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia, is a fast-casual hookah-hemp lounge offering unique hookah flavors, small plates and specialty craft cocktails,” McKinley said in a June 26 press release.
The same release said that CRU expects to expand further in Georgia this year and in 2024, citing Augusta and Savannah specifically. CRU’s website also includes Athens in its list of anticipated future locations.
Eat Athens: Mexican restaurant in Winterville offers gourmet experience on a budget
Mention of the desired locations weren't accompanied by timetables to open in any of the three cities. Past media reporting on CRU suggests that at least some of the Georgia locations have been considered for the business’ expansion at least since 2022.
Recreational marijuana is illegal in Georgia, but the 2018 version of the U.S. Farm Bill passed by Congress created a loophole that legalizes the smokable industrial hemp flower if it contains no more than 0.3% THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Cannabidol, or CBD, another compound derived from marijuana, is available for sale in Georgia and other states in the form of pills, oils, food and cosmetics. While it doesn’t deliver a marijuana high, CBD often is marketed to consumers to self-treat symptoms such as pain or anxiety.
CRU Lounges often offer CBD-infused edibles and pre-rolled hemp cigarettes, though the locations typically prohibit the smoking of cigarettes and cigars.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Ex-NFL player could bring hookah bar with hemp, CBD to Athens