Posted February 4, 2010

7 Stars is my favorite these days, as they have a decent enough menu, and they have some surprisingly good bud at relatively cheap prices. If you get a half ounce or more, they knock of 10%. They also have a discount card which will give you 5% of the price of your current purchase towards your next purchase. It costs $2, which seems a little nickle-and-dimey to me. But all the clubs with these cards seem to charge a small fee for them, and you recoup it on your first $40, so getting it is a no brainer, unless you're from out of town and you never intend to return.

Every time I've been there, they've had something quite decent for $35 or $40, and sometimes for even less. Their top shelf stuff goes for $55 and it's awesome, but that's more than I want to spend. I haven't tried their extracts or concentrates, but based on their standards for bud (smells great, tastes great, potent, with lots of crystals and very well trimmed), I imagine they are quite good too. I also love the big chocolate truffles they sell for $6.

They have a nice, well lit, still brand new space with pristine hardwood floors and glass display case counters. The first time I went there, the budtender opened literally every box and jar in the case for me to smell, as he described each strain in great detail. He also described the extracts, concentrates and edibles. He was very nice, but strangely, I was actually put off at the time, as I just wanted to get an eighth or two and get out of there and I thought he was trying to sell, sell, sell. But in retrospect, I think he was just trying to be friendly and helpful. Either way, he was very knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic about the product. I appreciate that he spent lots of time with me and didn't rush me. I've had the feeling of being rushed in other clubs, even when there's no line, and it bugs me. So far I have never felt hurried at 7 Stars.

The security out front is very chill. You show your ID and card, the guard radios that there's a patient, and sends you in. You show your ID and card to the receptionist who logs you in, then takes you into the dispensary area. I have never had to wait more than a minute for a budtender. They don't allow patients to medicate on the premises, though I understand they run a vapor lounge once a week. I've never been or inquired about it.

Somehow, I've always felt a little uncomfortable driving out of the parking lots of clubs which allow patients to medicate on the premises. I find it akin to driving out of a brew pub parking lot -- walk straight to the car, don't exhibit having trouble with the keys in the lock, signal turns, make complete stops, keep one eye on the mirror, etc! 7 Stars is in Richmond, but right near the border of Albany and El Cerrito, which don't allow dispensaries. Richmond cops have way too much on their plate to mess with patients, but I wouldn't put it past an uptight El Cerrito or Albany cop to decide to follow and stop someone leaving the parking lot for a small or non-existent traffic violation, go fishing for the meds and make an unpleasant issue out of it.

That's why 7 Stars' mall location is perfect: you can sort of blend in with the regular shoppers. I say sort of, because it's a bustling asian mall and most people I see in line at the bigger dispensaries aren't asian but most of the mall's customers are. However there are some of non-asians at the mall, so being non-asian while walking to your car there doesn't brand you as a patient. Just in case, I bring along an airtight container for the meds, I don't speed and I always have my original doctors recommendation with me in the car -- I may be overly cautious or even paranoid, but I've never been arrested!

Last night, I went just before closing time. I apologized for coming at the last minute, but the budtender said it wasn't a problem. I sniffed a few strains I hadn't yet seen there and settled on an eighth of Purple Kush shake (actually smaller bottom of the bag budlets from the top shelf version) for $40; an eighth of Pineapple for $25 (surprisingly decent for the price), and a quarter of White Cadillac (pretty dense, tasty and potent) for $70. After applying the 10% discount for a half ounce or more, and the $6 of credit on my discount card, I paid just under $130 including tax. I also got $6 credit on my card to use on my next visit.

I have friends who can provide me great stuff for $250 an ounce, but my busy schedule rarely fits with theirs these days. It may sound crazy, but it's a great convenience for me to be able to drive six minutes to my friendly neighborhood dispensary and buy stuff which is almost as good as that of my friends, at retail prices which are only a little more expensive. That's why I'm quite pleased to have found 7 Stars.

Peace.

Posted January 9, 2010

Everything about 7 Stars is an A+. Environment, customer service, quality. However they do not provide halves. I hope they start providing it.

The best!

Posted December 29, 2009

The best club, period!

The most comfortable, friendly, and professional club that I've visited.

A great variety of meds for all needs and very high quality (best in imo); edibles from popcorn, lollipops, candy, pastries, and drink mixes; high grade smoking blends and shake! (some purp, skunk 1, bubba kush, etc); a vapor lounge on mondays. great location and easy to get to. Need to do some grocery, just go right downstairs to the market. Hungry, plenty of restaraunts and snack shops also. It's inside of a MALL (dope right?). I recommend all patients at least try out their meds. You will not be disappointed at all.

777 stars to this club for jackPOT!

Posted December 25, 2009

Stopped by 7 Star yesterday to pick up an eighth of some Cherry Kush to see what the fuss is all about. I have to say I was totally satisfied with my purchase as well as the taste and effects of the medicine. Cherry Kush is both a sativa & indica, weighing more heavy on the indica side.

This was my 3rd visit and I have to say that 7 Star is becoming my favorite club due to the friendly & knowledgeable staff, the top level medicine grades( so far I had some purple shake and some Cherry Kush), the affordable price range that covers whatever a patient might be able to pay that day, and the calmness of the club.

Posted December 8, 2009

I had a chance to visit this club 2 times now and I like the calmness of this dispensary. As a first time visitor I was offered a nice 1st timer gift, a lolipipe.

One of the things that stands out to me about 7 Star is that they have medicine that covers all prices ranges. I like the fact they have more than one grade of shake and for $18 you can get some great grade shake( I got the purple shake) and have a lot in your bag. Next time I go I'll see what the Cherry Kush grade is all about.

The ladies who work at 7 Star are nice and helpful.

Posted November 20, 2009

So I paid another visit to 7Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond since they won the “People’s Choice” Award at the Oaksterdam Alumni Cup the first weekend of November 2009 in Oakland. Again they had a very nice selection to choose from. They had a nice selection of Bud, different Concentrates (Oil, Hash, etc) along with some nice Edibles to choose from too. They were offering a Promotional Top Shelf 1/8th for $45. One of the Strains was Granddaddy Purple and one was their People’s Choice Trophy winner Sour Diesel…which I got. SWEET!

They told me about their “Vapor Lounge” that I had visited once before and that they lowered the Cover Charge to $5 now which includes a Vapor Kit if you need one and you can now medicate anyway you chose and not just Vaporize as they allow open Medicating. Place is nice, great Munchies spread you could make a meal out of it if you want and a lot of other things to do to so I need to get back there and check it out as I had a blast when I was there last.

They really do have quality products which is why I go back. I’ve been to other dispensaries in the Bay area and 7Stars quality always seems to outshine all the others. I have yet to get disappointed in what I received in the end and I like their friendly atmosphere. You can talk to the Bud Tender and know you not getting a cashier like other dispensaries in the area, but someone who knows their merchandise and not just there to collect your money.

Posted September 11, 2007

I had a rare opportunity to visit 7 Stars in Richmond with a couple of friends to see their quality control process. This is not something they do nor does any dispensary do for that matter, this was a special one time circumstance and I needed to pick up some meds. I had never been there, and had been meaning to check them out, so this chance I could not pass up. I should have been there a long time ago! What a place! They deserve that name 7 Stars because they get a 7 Star rating from me. My review is a little long but I felt they deserved it because they just stood out over all. My experience there was outstanding and their staff just puts the icing on the cake.

7 Stars Holistic Healing Center
“Quality is Our Top Priority”

So me and my two friends go there, it’s located inside the Pacific East Mall which is an Asian mall. I already knew it was on the second floor and once I got in it was easy to find. They are handicap accessible; and we were able to park because it’s a mall so that wasn’t an issue which is nice. The El Cerrito Plaza BART station is where you can get off and take a bus to the mall if you want or you can walk, it’s not that far from BART. The neighborhood their in is not bad at all, so I would have no issues walking there if I was to take BART, it’s not far. I think Richmond, oh no, but it’s very nice area.

We are greeted outside by a woman who was very nice and asked to see our ID’s. Then she used her walkie talkie to let them know they had 3 new patients. We walk in the door and the place smells nice, not like Bud. I don’t know how many places I go into and say “yep, I’m at the right location”. The inside was decorated nicely and the receptionist was very pleasant. We let them know we were all together. They took our information separately. I always bring everything the first time I visit a place so I had my Doctor’s Rec, my OCBC card and my State card plus Ca ID. I asked, what will I need the next visit; she liked the state card and said the OCBC is fine if that’s all I had. So when she is done, she gives me a gift because it’s my first visit, a nice glass pipe. Now I love pipes, I admit it, so they had me there even more so because I like it when it’s your first visit and they thank you somehow. This is no piece of crap pipe either, it’s nice! I just bought a pipe about a month ago, the same thing but different color, and I paid over $10 so I received a nice gift. Then we are greeted by the Director of Patient Service. He knew we were a group and asked if we wanted to go to the counter alone or together and we all went up. Our Bud tender knew his shit, I was very impressed.

They had mutable big screen TV’s with the menu and price selection. I see that the glass case has items out and many are in glass jars or containers. Kevin takes his time to go over the differences of the concentrates and their different buds. I mean this guy really knew his shit. He wasn’t giving us a line, trying to rush us, nothing. He really helped! What started as a great experience got even better. Their menu had 15 different edibles and like 13 different extract, 4 different types of shake and some awesome bud. I mean the selections they had you could see were quality selections. They have ointments, Tinctures, honey lozenges, Cannabutter( yes, Cannabutter), coco mixesand lemonade they call Lemaid.

They had this bud called Cherry Kush, only 7 Stars has it. Well now my friend has a little and it is great looking, smelling, and the taste was smooth Kush taste. My other friend got some Jack Herer. Beautiful looking bud! OMG! I got 7 Star Daddy. When we were done with our selections, I saw that everything was labeled with the name, a bar code and, based on the amount, it comes in a jar. I got a gram so mine was in a baggie, but my friend got an 1/8th and that was in a jar. On the receipt it has their name, the product that I purchased(7 Star Daddy), the price, and then the sales tax and who waited on me. So when I left I knew what I had and not forgotten because the bag was not well marked like some places and I hate that. Here I knew what I had even when I was done smoking.

So J J takes us to see their intake room for vendors. They have a separate entrance for them and the room is nice and bright, clean and had a scope and other tools for intake exams. J J then tells us if it is accepted after their inspection and it’s not a 5 minute inspection it goes into their quality control room. When he opened the door, I thought I was looking into a clean room that is used in the electronics world and other industry. The work bench was clean and I almost went blind from the shine. I could see while he explained how they take the delicate care for the patient when tending to the product. They set the bench mark as far as quality standards go in the industry, as far as I am concerned. They are impeccable. I can see the love, care and most importantly the compassion in how they handle their patients and their products.

7 Stars truly deserves that name because they care and make quality their top priority. It is now my favorite dispensary and I can’t wait to go back on pay day.

I rate them a 12 out of 10