Dave was raised on Grateful Dead’s music. His parents were die-hard Dead fans, and he grew up frequently attending festivals and concerts with them. When Dave was old enough, he began following the Dead and bands like Phish around the United States in his van with his girlfriend and dog. He started selling glass pipes and custom-made pins on Shakedown street to fund his travel and ticket expenses. To those unfamiliar with the Dead, Shakedown Street is the vending area at the parking lot tailgate of Grateful Dead concerts (named after the song of the same name). Life was simple, glass sales from one concert would fund the next trip and the accompanying show. For nearly a decade Dave followed the Grateful Dead and Phish around the US selling glass to concert attendees. Truly emblematic of the Deadhead lifestyle, Dave lived a life full of travel, adventure, partying, and good music for many years.
“Nothin’ shakin’ on shakedown street, used to be the heart of town
Don’t tell me this town ain’t got no heart, you just gotta poke around”
-Lyrics from the Grateful Dead’s song Shakedown Street
But eventually, Dave decided to return to Buffalo. He had saved up $2000, and he decided he’d try to start his own head shop, bringing a little piece of Shakedown street back to Buffalo with him. He was able to purchase some old display cases from Heading to Hertel off of craigslist and used them to open his first location on South Park Avenue when he was just 24 years old.
After seeing success at his first shop, he opened 3 additional locations on Main St., Broadway, and one in Fredonia. The Main St.and Fredonia locations would eventually close down after facing large fluctuations in business due to nearby college schedules, but his Broadway location still exists today. “Competition in the Buffalo Niagara area is increasing every day,” Dave says.
Shake N Daze’s landmark locations on South Park and Broadway remain Buffalo staples mirroring the inspirational music of the Dead and the essence of Shakedown street.
Whether you’re interested in purchasing papers, wraps, glass, or gifts. Stop by Shake N Daze and see what they have to offer. Open everyday 10am-10pm!
Shake N Daze Byuffalo
1929 South Park Ave, Buffalo, NY 14220
(716) 257-8138
Shake N Daze Depew
5150 Broadway, Depew, NY 14043
(716) 257-8138
Related: Inside one of the Seneca Nation’s Most Innovative Dispensaries
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