Shelton Hull
Words by Shelton Hull
If you’re anything but stone-blind, the sight should be familiar by now: I’m talking about that purple van with the neon lights and retro wrap that drives around selling cannabis products, usually near bars and clubs because that’s where the action is. Of course, I was instantly curious, and so were many of you, the readers, who’ve reached out many times (usually while standing in 5 Points on one of those Saturday nights you’ve all heard about) to ask, in the words of Jerry Seinfeld, “What is the deeeeal with that?”
It’s actually quite an interesting deal, indeed, and here’s the story, straight from the horse’s mouth. That’s a colloquialism. He’s not a horse — he is 100% people and real nice people, too.
Miami Vice Mobile stems from the collaboration of Pedro Soler who launched the brand in 2021. “We brought the truck up from Miami, with my partner, Julio Lanzas,” said Soler. “We had a couple of mutual friends before, and definitely it was a matter of just coming up and checking out the vibe.” He expanded into Jacksonville about nine months ago, as well as Gainesville.
It’s a gorgeous vehicle that draws the eye, and its purpose is self-evident. While their brand is clearly inspired by the iconic NBC series, “Miami Vice Mobile” has no distinct connection to the popular weed strain, although they presumably will, soon enough. Now, to answer the main question you have, which is about the actual products.
It is not a licensed dispensary, so its sales are currently limited to Delta-8, Delta-9 and CBD fare, as well as cigarettes and cigars, etc. “A lot of products are hemp-based, but they do have a level of THC to them, which is all at legal standards. It’s a more relaxed version of the regular substance,” Soler said.
They do a perfectly healthy business, so to speak, with their existing stock, mainly because of their diligence in coming to the customer. It helps to have a friendly disposition during chaotic times. Speed and convenience are epicentric to the brand.
For example, I did the interview while he was parked in front of Hoptinger on the busiest night of the week.
Buying a pack of cigarettes would require walking into Rain Dogs, which was full for karaoke with Elyse Berlin (best in town, recommended), then going to the machine and paying $11, but only after you’ve gotten the bartender to give you exact bills and flip the little switch to activate the machine, standard practice at any bar. By the time you light up, that’s five minutes, minimum. You could walk to Smoke City around the corner in less time, but it’s closed. You could walk to the Shell station and back in 10 minutes, but not by yourself, and not at all if you’re a girl. So, for cigs, blunts and wraps, they’re a life-saver, sometimes literally. And who’s got the dexterity to roll joints while standing up drunk? It ain’t me, it ain’t me.
As you could pretty much guess, the real endgame begins next year. Polling data strongly implies that Florida voters will fully decriminalize on the November ballot with implementation starting in spring 2025, and the governor’s half-hearted efforts at resistance have fared about as well as his presidential campaign. (Spoiler: I still think he’s gonna be Trump’s running-mate, but we’ll save that for the reporters who are already on their payroll.) “Like everybody else, we’re just trying to figure out what the regulations are going to be like,” Soler said. In theory, by this time next year, we will have seen a massive expansion of the state’s cannabis industry across all sectors, especially in retail.
Business aside, Soler is generally impressed with Jacksonville, and it gets his endorsement. “It’s a lot more relaxed than Miami, slower-paced, but there’s still a lot of breathing room. Definitely a great place to visit. “It’s been really fun, getting to meet a lot of people and see a lot of the crazy stuff in the nightlife,” he said. With the city’s population expanding faster than ever, ambitious young men like Pedro Soler are a great example of the kind of folks we’re drawing into this community, and that trend is likely to continue for years to come.
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