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Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Tue 30th Aug 2022 05:57 pm
by Lemming
This map of the nascent cannabusiness in 1975 was sent to me by Bedge (from Nol van Schaik’s book The Dutch Experience).
The locations shown are:
The original
Mellow Yellow, the prototype for all subsequent coffeeshops.
Lowlands Weed Company, the first ever grow shop on Kees Hoekert's boat De Witte Raaf (The White Raven). Apparently there was also a dealer on a neighbouring boat.
Bulldog No.90 and neighbouring
merchandise shop (88), which was the first commercial coffeeshop, opened in 1975.
Rusland, now
Plug XXX, which also opened in 1975.
I'm intrigued by Spui being emphasised. Maybe that was also significant to hash in the 70s?
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Tue 30th Aug 2022 06:52 pm
by DjShaggy
I love stuff like this, the history is fascinating. It really does make me wonder what the spui connection is, and I never realised Rusland was so significant either. Great post.
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Wed 31st Aug 2022 01:17 pm
by Nuggz
DjShaggy wrote: ↑Tue 30th Aug 2022 06:52 pm
I love stuff like this, the history is fascinating. It really does make me wonder what the spui connection is, and I never realised Rusland was so significant either. Great post.
Rusland was indeed one of the first shops. Legend has it (according to the words of a true old-school Amsterdam hippie, RIP) that back in these days there was no real "main bud counter" there was usually a house dealer(s) with a briefcase, tucked semi-discreetly in the corner of the café somewhere.
In any case, the following details are a bit fuzzy, as it was a few years ago I was told the tale, by now - but one of the dealers whether initially having the blessing of Rusland management or not, lost said blessing and was banned from the shop.
The peddler having been exiled from Rusland (Dutch for "Russia") naturally opened a competing shop, naming it Siberië (Siberia) in honor of his exile from Russia...
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Wed 31st Aug 2022 09:37 pm
by DjShaggy
Nuggz wrote: ↑Wed 31st Aug 2022 01:17 pm
DjShaggy wrote: ↑Tue 30th Aug 2022 06:52 pm
I love stuff like this, the history is fascinating. It really does make me wonder what the spui connection is, and I never realised Rusland was so significant either. Great post.
Rusland was indeed one of the first shops. Legend has it (according to the words of a true old-school Amsterdam hippie, RIP) that back in these days there was no real "main bud counter" there was usually a house dealer(s) with a briefcase, tucked semi-discreetly in the corner of the café somewhere.
In any case, the following details are a bit fuzzy, as it was a few years ago I was told the tale, by now - but one of the dealers whether initially having the blessing of Rusland management or not, lost said blessing and was banned from the shop.
The peddler having been exiled from Rusland (Dutch for "Russia") naturally opened a competing shop, naming it Siberië (Siberia) in honor of his exile from Russia...
Stories like this need preserving before they are lost forever.
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Fri 2nd Sep 2022 01:28 pm
by bedge
High the reference to the spui is referring to the so-called happenings that happened around a statue of a street kid.
i think its still there. The happenings were protests where lots of cannabis was smoked.
It was setup by a group known as the provos who had an underground publication of the same name.
see
http://www.marijuanalibrary.org/HT_provos_0190.html
https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2020/ ... provo-man/
hope this helps
bedge
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Sun 11th Sep 2022 10:44 am
by HitTheNorth
Brilliant thread great find that @Lemming and @Nuggz what a story! Makes perfect sense.
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Thu 15th Sep 2022 06:32 pm
by Ghost
Quality Map and info there guys, thanks for sharing it
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Thu 2nd Mar 2023 11:14 am
by Ganjaforlife90
Thanks for the sharing , this is important to share and talk about the past , maybe I am too much nostalgic but I miss the 90's.
What happened there in A'dam and in the Netherlands during the 70's is very interesting
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Thu 2nd Mar 2023 08:41 pm
by ed the head
Re: Amsterdam 1975
Posted: Sat 4th Mar 2023 12:21 pm
by macky
With you there ED my issue was two page centre of the magazine with a picture of the seed bank house lite up at night with high pressure lights . House was glowing out of every window very
Tried finding that picture to frame in a poster years back ,no luck yet
