Curated. Bespoke. Elevated. Upscale. In 2026, these terms are being used to describe the new cannabis retail experience. Hoping to create “fun moments of consumer discovery,” (1), cannabis retailers are pivoting to more refined, experiential shopping. Aspiring to attract a broader audience and new customers, many cannabis retailers are investing heavily in interior design and compelling brand stories. That translates to bold, bright colors, handcrafted architectural features, and museum-style displays and lighting, all aimed at creating a space that feels entirely reimagined. 

For many cannabis retailers, the key to innovative design lies in experiential opportunities. From spatial storytelling to interactivity, the first step toward impactful design is the customer experience. From the moment they walk through the front door to making a purchase, every step of the process should feel welcoming and intuitive. Moments of customization and interactivity along the way, helping buyers identify the best products for them, can also accelerate and excite the customer journey. 

Klutch Cannabis, with several locations in Ohio, is one of the best examples of modern dispensary design in action. With the aesthetic of a “luxury lounge,” the dispensary brings the luxury of a suave lounge from the 1950s into the modernism of the 21st-century dispensary. As one of the first in the country to adopt the Oat Foundry Split Flap and Mellowtron (now called Algorithm, our companion technology), Klutch is revolutionizing cannabis shopping for an expanded audience.

The term “experiential” gets tossed around a lot when discussing modern design. What it means is to “make audiences active participants rather than passive observers.” (2) However, the way it’s often perceived is to add digital components at every key engagement point, sometimes to the detriment of the design and experience. Klutch Cannabis smartly avoided this common misconception by not only implementing a Split Flap that aligns with their “Luxury Lounge” aesthetic, but also Oat Foundry’s Algorithm, which can connect to any of our products.

Split Flap and Algorithm transform our analog technology from a mechanical message board to an experiential centerpiece. While Split Flap delivers messages through kinetic motion, producing a subtle sound, Algorithm makes the experience interactive. Klutch Cannabis has categories on it’s Algorithm that include various cannabis products, where customers can filter to get recommendations.

Image Credit: Klutch Cannabis

For Klutch Cannabis, the Algorithm includes six cannabis products: flower, vape, extract, tincture, edible, and topical. The Algorithm is located near the mounted Split Flap, where customers can press the button above each product to receive a unique recommendation displayed on the mechanical display. There is also a “fader”, similar to a sound board, where customers can “fade” from high terpene to low terpene.  

For retailers, Split Flap and Algorithm are not only an opportunity for engagement, but also for promoting products, events, and recommendations. Titleist at Pinehurst Resort shares tournament updates and special promotions, while Visit Austin posts trivia and facts about the city. The Ralph Lauren Picture Flap displays photography of new collections, and Glossier DC’s custom color display fits into their “airport” themed Georgetown location, rotating through clever sayings and colored flaps.

The Luxury Lounge aesthetic, coined by Oat Foundry, uses jewel tones, rich wood, and gold accents to create a 1950s-inspired space with a “members only” vibe. In this type of design, upholstered leather sofas, bespoke shelving, and a strategic use of vintage items create a nostalgic, chic, yet comfortable space. 

Split Flap, available in our Classic Black or Enterprise Custom Color, offers the look and feel of a digital-free space. Screens, which are the antithesis of the “luxury lounge” aesthetic, take customers out of the “retro Mad Men-inspired” space back into the 21st Century. A Split Flap, however, takes the best of the classic Solari boards and modernizes them with a content management system accessed via phone, laptop, or computer.

Image Credit: Klutch Cannabis

Split Flap doesn’t just mirror the 1950s aesthetic; it stems directly from that era. Inspired by the classic Solari boards found in European airports and train stations at that time, the Oat Foundry Split Flap is similar in terms of legibility and scale. Sized to fit any space (such as Klutch’s retail locations), the text on a Split Flap can also be read from long distances. The content on the board, as a result, can be easily seen from the front door, register, across the store, etc. 

Oat Foundry is currently the only US-based company that creates custom Split Flaps for commercial spaces. While off-the-shelf consumer signage mimics the functionality of Split Flaps, they’re much smaller in scale, can only be set on a surface or mounted, and are legible from no further than 3 to 4 ft away.

Klutch Cannabis has a custom Split Flap and Algorithm at several of its locations in Ohio, including Lorain, Canton, and Cleveland. Similar to Buck & Rider, this expands the use of the custom Split Flap and Algorithm beyond simple design to become a signature feature, and something the brand is known for. 

Klutch Cannabis has made headlines for its inventive approach to cannabis retail. Named by Leafly as Ohio’s best cannabis brand, Klutch has been covered for its growth process and contributed greatly to Ohio’s 2025 cannabis sales of $1 billion. 

Image Credit: Klutch Cannabis 

Mechanical Split Flaps from Oat Foundry provide a much-needed respite from video walls, monitors, and hot screens. From long-range visibility to a modern, sleek design, we take pride in customizing and sizing our Split Flaps to unique retail spaces. The perfect balance of form and function, our large-scale Split Flaps last for decades, providing a signature, long-lasting staple to any retail flagship.  

In the early stages of a retail space design, off-the-shelf consumer signage is sometimes considered. For us, this misses the entire point: installing architectural, branded, and truly mechanical displays.

Resources

1. High Design: The Revolution Taking Over Cannabis Dispensaries
2. The Guide to Audience Engagement for Business Owners
3. Klutch Cannabis to Rebrand Dispensaries and Launch Cookies Products in January 2025