Celebrate 4/20 with Happy Munkey: Small Business Spotlight

Happy Munkey began as a community-driven cannabis space in New York, long before legalization created a formal pathway for businesses.

Over time, that community focus turned to advocacy as the group became part of the evolution of what was happening with cannabis, eventually pursuing licenses and transitioning into the legal market. The name itself reflects that welcoming, community-first ethos. Inspired by global cannabis culture and café-style spaces, the co-founder, Ramon Reyes, recalls wanting something that felt approachable.

“We wanted to serve happy,” he explains. The monkey element is personal. “I’ve always been into monkeys. I thought, what’s happier than a monkey?” At a time when many cannabis brands leaned into tougher aesthetics, Happy Munkey intentionally moved in a different direction. “We are already from that background, and didn’t want the future of what we were walking into to have that type of energy.”

After launching their first store in Washington Heights—the founders’ home neighborhood—Happy Munkey expanded to Downtown Brooklyn in 2025. Opening uptown was meaningful because “that’s our neighborhood… that’s where our culture comes from.” The Brooklyn move, however, represented growth beyond their roots. “If you’re a born and raised New Yorker, you kind of stay in the borough that you’re from. The Brooklyn move was us having the capacity to branch out into another borough.”

Downtown Brooklyn stood out as a neighborhood in transition and full of opportunity. “Downtown is being rebirthed,” the team says. “You can kind of see the difference — what it used to be and what it’s becoming.” With new residents, growing retail, and steady foot traffic, the area felt like the right place to expand. “You have these new residents, new stores… we wanted to be a part of that. There’s a lot of foot traffic here — we wanted to be part of that.”

As Downtown Brooklyn’s first legal cannabis dispensary, Happy Munkey sees its role as more than retail. The team plans to host brand activations, giveaways, and educational programming, while staying engaged with the neighborhood. “You’ll see more activations… more presentations,” they say.

“Whatever’s happening here in the neighborhood — whatever is needed as an added value — we’re here. We’re here to serve.”

Inside the store, education and guidance are central to the experience. Ramon notes that legalization has improved product quality and expanded options for customers. “People are mistaken that you can only get top shelf outside of the legal market,” they explain. “Now the growers have gotten better… you can find really, really good flower.” Staff encourage customers to shop intentionally, not just by habit. “If you spend even two minutes, the budtenders can guide you to exactly what you’re looking for — if you’re trying to go to sleep, get this; if you want to stay functional, get that.”