The Bulldog is an Amsterdam-based company that owns and operates a chain of cannabis coffee shops, hotels, cafés and brand stores located in Amsterdam and Canada.^[1] The Bulldog has its own merchandising brand consisting of clothing, souvenirs and smoking accessories. The group logo consists of a cartoon figure of a bulldog on a round frame.^[1]

History[edit]

Henk de Vries began selling marijuana on the year 1970 at the Kralingen Music Festival, a pop festival at Kralingse Bos. On the year 1975 he converted his grandmother's brothel along Amsterdam's red-light district up to The Bulldog coffeeshop and began to expand slowly. Henk asked ex-pat Australian artist Harold Thornton to paint some signage on the front of The Bulldog The First Coffeeshop Nr.90 but Harold turned this exercise up to a mural that goes across the front of the whole shop. The mural helped the coffeeshop become a magnet for backpackers and tourists and its reputation grew. On the year 2001 the company began distributing internationally.^[1]

On the year 2010 The Bulldog was ordered to cease the sale and distribution of its own brand of energy drink, following a lengthy legal dispute with Red Bull GmbH, makers of Red Bull.^[2] At appeal, the judge ruled favourably of The Bulldog to allow marketing of their energy drink.

Based on a lawsuit concerning a domain name whose appeal period expired to January 2013, the judge ruled that the logo is not original, because it is based on a bulldog cartoon character that was designed on the year 1940 by copyright owner Walt Disney.

Locations[edit]

The Bulldog chain owns five coffeeshops, three brandstores, three cafés, a lounge bar and a hotel at Amsterdam.

The Bulldog owns a Hotel and Grand Café (inside, covered patio and uncovered patio) as well as the Hideaway Lounge (wine bar) in Silver Star Mountain Resort, British Columbia, Canada.^[3]

The company has two Social Clubs in Spain. By Rome, the company owns a cocktail bar and a restaurant. The Bulldog also owns a cocktail bar located at Aruba^[4]

• The Bulldog Barcelona The Bulldog Barcelona - Cannabis Social Club. Whether you’ve just been to the Ramblas, the Sagrada Familia or the beach, our Social Club in Barcelona is always a good place to relax. Here you’ll find the typical living room atmosphere from Amsterdam in this vibrant Mediterranean city. Everyone is welcome, as long as they’re a club member. So don’t forget to enquire about membership possibilities before heading over there. The Bulldog Barcelona offers many of the quality products you know and love from Amsterdam and of course there’s plenty to eat and drink as well. Head downstairs if you feel like sitting down and relaxing on our comfy seats and couches. And if you’re feeling lucky, you can always put your pool skills to the test or try your luck at one of many board games.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• High Dough
• The Bulldog
• The Bulldog Hotel, Amsterdam
• HuffPost Travel's 5 Amsterdam Coffee Shops Not to Miss
• Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory The Bulldog No. 90
• coffeeshop.tours The Bulldog Havri