Arjan is the founder of the Green House Coffeeshops and Seed Company, the most successful cannabis business in the world. Winner of many international awards (32 High times Cannabis Cups, 17 Highlife Cups, and dozens of other awards), a true leader in cannabis genetics. The vision, passion and hard work of Arjan earned him the distinction of being the "King of Cannabis" but he does not rest on his laurels (so to speak), as he continues to search the planet to collect cannabis genetics and landraces with his longtime side-kick Franco and the team known as the Strain Hunters.
In 1985 at the age of 20 Arjan met an old medicine man in Thailand. At that point he'd already spent ten years of his life in Africa and five years in Asia. The old medicine man had a dream: he dreamt of a free cannabis plant. He explained and taught Arjan the religion of this plant. But he also explained he would never win his battle with just money. Passion and love were the only options. No one ever died because of the cannabis plant, but the power of alcohol, tobacco and the pharmaceutical industry prevent this plant from being used and accepted. The medicine man was right. He eventually died, but the day Arjan met him it changed his life. He wanted to bring this dream closer to reality.
Arjan returned to Holland and got to work. Due to the Dutch Law we can't disclose what he did for the next few years up until 1992, but expect you can guess. All his passion and knowledge encouraged him to open the first Green House Coffeeshop, in the Tolstraat in Amsterdam, in 1992. Green House had a different approach from all other existing coffeeshops. Instead of the old, dark and stuffy interiors, the shop was a big open space with colorful artistic decoration created entirely by his wife and himself. They created the first artistic Cafe-Coffeeshop in Holland. Arjan invited Amsterdam Police officials and the city mayor to the opening, and Green House was an instant hit. The judges from the High Times Cannabis Cup dropped by in 1993 and they won several prizes - for best atmosphere, best weed, and more. It was the beginning of the Green House legend, one that thousands of customers experience everyday.
Celebrities from all over the world started visiting Arjan's coffeshop and became his friends. When you visit take a look at his 'Hall of Fame', you'll be surprised by all the famous names that have spent time there, enjoying the same atmosphere as you can. They grew rapidly into a major cannabis enterprise and won prizes every year at the High Times Cannabis Cup, many of which for the best atmosphere or best weed. In 1993 Arjan expanded, opening his second Cafe-Coffeeshop on the Waterlooplein, a busy central square in Amsterdam. He also established the Green House Seed Company. Go to www.greenhouseseeds.nl or look for it on MySpace. They breed and sell the best cannabis genetics in the world.
In 1997 Arjan opened the third Green House cafe-coffeeshop on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal in Amsterdam, in the heart of the famous Red Light District. Again, he developed and made the whole of the interior and decoration themselves - the bar with its sunken mosaic stones lit from beneath, handmade lamps and one-off paintings - all completely unique to the Green House. And more recently, in 2007, he opened the fourth Green House coffeeshop, in the busy Harlemmerstraat. It is a very stylish lounge, with three levels and a huge floor-aquarium with red koi carps. A real cannabis connoisseur paradise, where delicious food is served all day long.
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Arjan's nice - I met him once In the 'Dam - but he likes the "fame" too much and rumours persist over Cup bribery claims - the Dampkring doesn't really compete any more because of it and its a great coffeeshop! Derry and the Barneys "chain" now have 4 places (only 2 that sell weed-you can get a beer in the other 2) and after a recent refit they are all really stylish, upmarket with a great atmosphere - the Lounge on Herengracht is my favourite! - and they sell GREAT weed too! "G13 Haze" is a former cup winner and an amazing sativa but if you want the ultimate sativa high and a very unusual looking bit of weed, try "Dr Grinspoon" - unbelievable! They recently resurrected "Acapulco Gold" and its great too. God bless Amsterdam!