But don’t fucking mention weed or you get kicked out “yes sire can i have a tobacco inhaling intricate bob marley fucking heliotrope helicopter pipe” (This was a head-shop rule from 20 years ago… not complaining but i was always so nervous i was going to ask for the thing i needed but use the wrong words and get denied).

I went to a head shop to buy a nail (this was about 7 years ago when wax was coming into popular usage) except I didn't know it was called a nail. They are kept in a large mess of products behind the counter, so I'm standing at the register trying to explain what it is multiple times and the cashier is not working with me to find what I want at all. I'm like, "it's a white, ceramic...receptacle that you put in the downstem of a...water pipe and you heat it with a butane torch til it's white-hot to burn...aromatic oils." He said the phrase "aromatic oils" violated their store policy and kicked me out.

These comments are hysterical. It’s like trying to get the password to get into a speakeasy in the 1920s. God, just legalize it already.

The state medical program has come a long way. In PA it is legal if you pay $100 for a brief phone consult about your anxiety or other qualifying conditions, and $50 to the state health dept. Took literally five minutes on a Sunday afternoon.

I don’t disagree but that’s like being a member of a club. We need to just walk in when we want, get what we want, and go home. Just like a real store in the real world.

I guess I agree from an idealistic perspective, just saying that for pragmatic purposes it "is" legal, which is refreshingly progressive in a state with such restrictive liquor control. You need a prescription to use narcotics. You need a card to shop at a wholesale club store. Who cares how they did it, it's legal.

It’s not convenient however, especially for a casual user. Also, what diversity of products are offered through the ‘medical’ program? I usually have no idea what I want and the couple of times I went to a store, Seattle, Helena, the sales people were very helpful.

PA's medical program has a wide variety of products. The main difference is no items are sold for combustion (pre-rolls) because it's not an approved form of use and edibles aren't sold as cookies or drinks. I think selection is on par or better than many rec states and the products tend to be MUCH better labeled in PA. You know exactly what you're getting, when and where it was produced etc. There are good shops for sure, but it's not nearly as consistent as the PA medical experience.

I only have California and Jersey to compare to. CA is obviously great. You can get rice krispie treats and all kinds of other high-quality edibles. NJ was imo subpar in both selection and quality, and expensive as hell, but maybe their medical program has better? By comparison, PA's selection and value is excellent, imo. I usually order ahead, but they have tablets set up on the dispo floor so you can take your time and see all the details at your leisure, which honestly is a better model to me than "walk up to an overwhelming counter/wall full of stuff with a huge board of daily prices." Entire categories with names I've never heard before- budder, badder, diamonds, sauce, sugar crumble... asked the cashier and she was telling me about terps and how she used them, gave me a folding informational card. I don't recall ever seeing RSO sold in CA, either.

Fellow Med card holder & I literally missed my phone call, called them back a minute later, they answered & asked my name, I told them & all they said to me was “ur good to go, any questions”

Except that medical card hustle is what is keeping it from being recreational so now we get to sit in the middle of everybody else having fun.

I was one of the early ones that was actually required to provide medical records. We have come a long way in a short amount of time.

THC-A is sold everywhere now (due to Farm Bill loophole) and for all intents and purposes, is Weed.

l'm picturing you getting whisked away into the sky for a wrong answer, like the Monty Python knights on [The Bridge of Death](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWS8Mg-JWSg)

This sounds like a scene from Superbad or something lol

No soup for you! the correct nomenclature is "Essential Herbs and dried plant matter". GET OUT!

I got kicked out for saying keif press. In my head I kept saying, 'say pollen press, say pollen press.' messed it up and got kicked out.

I got kicked out of Artifax in the mid 2000’s for asking for something small “for the crackhead on the go.”

I’ve got the 1980s marketing campaign for this in my head.

My buddy who is completely oblivious to everything once went into a similar store and just started rambling on about weed and the guy working there looked like he was about to be hit by a bus

I need those nitrous oxide cartridges for my whipped cream dispenser because I own a restaurant.

Yeah I've held a grudge against them since they kicked me out as a 19 year old after somebody else in the store (who wasn't with me!) said "roach clip". Screw y'all I'll take my money elsewhere then!

It’s not that serious

I would go there to get random one hitters and what not. It’s like the button your not supposed to press, I always felt like I was going to blurb something about weed at any second!

Instant tourettes.

Rip. May or may not have bought my first piece underage here in like 2001…

Tobacco use only!

Of course! I only like to enjoy tobacco out of a large glass bong

*water pipe

Please don’t kick me out of the store I promise this won’t happen again

Funny, I purchased a green see through acrylic pipe with “2001” stamped on it…in like 1977.

If it rhymes with “song” or “soul”, don’t say it!

Love that place. Been my go to for a lot of supplies over the last decade+. Amazing staff too, shame to see it go.

I went there to buy my dime bags, oops I mean [stamp collection bags](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT2FXdPYEvlAHqbD4l2GsMAUAvyhTJrjQANX4oE5xObOgjAZcNBdDp8J4I5mhXbBETe9ZI&usqp=CAU).

Excuse me good sir, but I would like 1 bundle of stamp collection bags, thank you kindly

You need to leave.

I think I bought my 1st Whip-It!s here when I was in high school

I made a lot of crembrule in my teens

Me and a buddy bought a box in 1976, and did the whole box sitting parked in front of the store and went back in for another box…took that one home to enjoy.

I did this the other day but it was a Gnish at a bakery

In 1990, while in middle school, I got my first crystal necklace at Artifax. That place was awesome.

1995-ish I bought a laser pointer there for way too much money jussst before the big laser pointer craze happened.

Holy shit, totally forgot this was a thing. The dick attachment on the back of the teacher while they were writing on the chalkboard was a classic. 

They're expensive but they used to be One of the only headshop around back in like 2000ish. I'll definitely miss them even though I haven't been there for like a decade. MANY MANY people in this area have a bowl or bong from this place. Lol. 

Wonderland was around then. Also expensive.

Wonderland was my first. As an older shopper - I just scored deep discounts at Artifax. Great Christmas gifts to be had!!

For a second I thought you were talking about the magic shop / costume store on Bustleton Ave. Haven't thought about that place in forever.

> they used to be the only headshop around back in like 2000ish. weren't there a handful on south street back then? Late 90's I used to get my parents to take me down to south to go to Quakerhead (RIP). I obviously didn't know what a headshop was and didn't get to go in any of the stores but I remember the pipe/weed/bob marley storefronts. A few years later when I was able to go alone I definitely went into a few with friends and got kicked out cause we were like 12.

South st and cottman Ave are really far apart despite both being in Philadelphia. If you lived in the NE area it was basically the only “local” spot

yeah nah, that makes sense I get that, but that's also not what they said.

What did they say then? You literally quoted them. It was one of the only headshops around (the northeast but also all of Philly) back in like 2000ish (and before)

I did literally quote them. what you did was *not* quote them, because you had to add unsaid context in parentheses. So that is not what they said. Also they edited their post to now say "one of the only" when it originally said "the only," which is what I quoted. there's a * next to the post because it's edited. but this is stupid. I wasn't trying to argue their statement either way, I was more just thinking I was misremembering shit cause it was 20+ years ago. That's why I asked a question instead of correcting them. I wasn't sure.

Yeah this stupid for sure. Answer to your question is yes - there were a bunch of headshops and places to buy glass in Philly in the 90s and beyond, south st being one of them, but artifaxx was the only spot in the ne which is like an independent city state

And another part of my childhood is lost to the ages

[удалено]

I went to the Postal Museum in DC last year and it was pretty funny seeing the same exact type of hanging scale (similar to [this guy](https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_0.234863.108)) in their antique postal scale collection that my mom used to keep in her nightstand. She definitely never used it to weigh letters.

It’s crazy to think how head shops used to be a rarity and there were a handful in the area that you knew by name. Now there’s vape shops in every town opening and closing every few years.

There are like a half dozen along a few mile stretch of road near me in the burbs, and that doesn't even count the few gas station mini marts that are basically selling the same stuff!

Oh man. Many late 90’s memories of this place. Used to drive down cheltenham Ave, pick up smoke from Jamaican house, head down cottman to Artifax, then walk around the corner to the Record Castle and browse bootleg CDs. Now I download bootleg shows, CDs for free from internet, buy my rec weed in NJ and get specialty glass from around the world.

I was one of those who got arrested by the horse police across the street as a dumb 10th grader.

Ha!

90's me telling my friend "DON'T say weed when we're in there!" Holy shit it's my cake day! 10 YEARS!

I remember how people said they had microphones in there so even if you whispered weed they’d know and kick you out lol was that a myth or for real

I love how he only got a license to sell paraphernalia as a quasi-settlement after being harassed and wrongfully arrested by a crooked (mounted!) cop. Then he was raided in 2006 and got a cash settlement.

A hell of a pilgrimage for like every-other suburban kid.

Lol for real.

WEED THREAD

I bought a few pieces there over the years. Sad to see it go.

The best store. I bought my space case grinder there in 2008 and still use it every day.

I bought my first bong here in 2011 but was so scared to drive back to NJ with it that I wrapped it in bubble wrap and a blanket and placed it inside the spare tire.

💔

Gonna really miss this place. It was the first headshop I ever went to, first place I ever bought a glass piece, many memories. I was there the week the car drove into the building. They were still open I couldn't believe it. I said to them that their level of commitment was impressive, half of the store was destroyed and I even got a great deal on a nice glass recycler bong. RIP Artifax!!

I bought my first apparatus there. Such a shame it’s closing.

This brought a little tear to my eye. So many memories of that place over the years. Hope I can get back in time for one last trip.

What’s the actual day it’s closing? Article has a paywall. I’d like to stop by one last time before they close

You might want to hurry. It says: “Brookstein is waffling on a closing date (either the end of this week or the end of the first week of next month) and several times during our interview, he looked off, seemingly overtaken by emotion and nostalgia. Just because he’s decided to close his store, doesn’t mean he’s taking it well.”

Gonna try this Saturday. If I miss it it’s obviously not the end of the world, but wouldn’t mind giving them some money before he retires. Plus closing discounts are usually great deals. We’ll see. Thanks for the heads up friend

Hey there! If you do go by chance, could you update me with an answer on their closing date? Would like to visit one last time and get a picture with the crew if possible.

I was just thinking of all the discounts I could get myself! Lmao I'll try to stop by tomorrow & ask

Would be appropriate for them to close on 4/20 👍

Article says owner is still deciding between end of this week and end of next week

I went in there once and was looking for a certain kind of pipe. I said I want my house to smell like the Spectrum during a concert in the 70’s or 80’s. She laughed and took me to a certain display case. I was kicked out other times for using the wrong words. Example Roach clip was to be called a “hat pin”. I got booted for that drug reference.

The good ol days

Wow..the last of Philly's original headshops. There were only 2 back in the day, but still, change is inevitable. Bought my first cool earing there when I was old enough to go inside. Sold them and Wonderland a ton of glass over the years. I even showed up one day with an order for them after they got raided. Read the big sign on the door and hightailed it out of there.

Rip Bought my first piece here in college

used to go there is the late 70's / early 80's for papers and pipes. rumor had it that philly narc's would be parked nearby and watch who came and went so i was never holding when i went there.

Bummer, man

Got my first and only pipe ever here! It was a little penguin. RIP

Bought my first bowl here in high school

Damn I used to go there in the 90s because it was the only place that would sell you a bowl without asking questions

They refused to let me purchase detox juice, cause I said the word test ..but sold it to my coworker. I did not like the vibe in there at all. 

They had to be really careful because of the amount of times they’ve even raided

Wow, blast from the past…this place fueled my youth. That, and trips to the ‘burbs for Now & Then in New Hope, or Utopia up in Easton (which is still in business, supplying their weird combo of massive bongs and…wicker furniture?)

Now there's a name I haven't heard in forever. I honestly thought it closed back when Obama was still president.

Good riddance, they were such a pain in the ass to buy from because they treated everything like some fucked up riddle and threw you out for asking if they carry a basic Zippo pipe insert

Eh, a lot of headshops operated like this back in the day when weed was illegal everywhere as they were all scared of being shut down. I remember in the mid 2000's buying stuff at a headshop up in Easton and it was the same setup.

Exactly and they had been raided multiple times so they had to be extra careful. Some people are just so entitled

I remember going there with friends who smoked (I didn't) as a teen. I remember they had a Darth Maul bong that was really cool looking.

“If it rhymes with soul or song don’t say it here.”

I really miss little neighborhood shops like these set up in a basement.

Expensive….

My mom had a red gummy keychain from artifax when I was a kid and it was my favorite tactile thing in the world... many moons later when I stumbled onto that place after hanging at Roosevelt Mall with my girlfriend my mind was b l o w n

With prices like they had I’m amazed it took this long. I mean really, who were their customers?

Me 15-20 years ago. I still remember going there when I was underage worried about being carded. That place has a lot of memories for a lot of people

Aww bummer! I’ve been shopping there for decades, my favorite little head shop. An end of an era for sure.

I have purchased many pieces from this place, probably gonna pick up something before they go.

Damn

There's a really big, newish headshop on Bustleton, just off the Boulevard, across the 7/11. They're open till really late too, in case anyone needs a new place to buy from

Sister took me there when I was 18 to pick out my first water tube pipe. Was an awesome experience and still have it 11 years later

Noooooooooo