Enjoy this interview series recorded live on the show floor of Hall of Flowers 2026 in Ventura. We partnered with Respect My Region to spotlight the brands, founders, and operators shaping California cannabis through product quality, culture, and community. Catch the highlights in this blog and watch the full episode on Respect My Region’s YouTube.
Watch the full interview here:
Who’s in this episode
Respect My Region sits down with Tyler Smith, Chief Vibe Officer and one of the original founders of 3Bros, a Santa Cruz cannabis brand rooted in surf culture, cultivation, and long-term California market survival. 3Bros has publicly described itself as a family-run California lifestyle cannabis brand grown from Santa Cruz’s cannabis and professional surf scenes.
The conversation covers Santa Cruz cannabis history, strain selection, branding, longevity, and 3Bros’ new move into rosin gummies.
Santa Cruz roots run deep
Tyler opens with a reminder that 3Bros did not appear overnight. He has personally been growing cannabis for roughly 15 years or more, joking that “cannabis years” feel like 10-to-1.
He also talks about the Santa Cruz mountains and their long cultivation history, pointing to the area’s outdoor legacy and the underground indoor era that shaped California cannabis before adult-use legalization. He even mentions Blue Dream as one of the first strains he grew, tying the brand back to a classic cultivar with deep California nostalgia.
What 3Bros is growing now
At the booth, Tyler shows several flower jars, including:
- Silver Surfer
- Black Velvet
- Glitter Bomb
He explains that 3Bros is always trying to grow what consumers want while still keeping the menu interesting. Purple candy strains have been popular, but Tyler says he likes seeing more variety return to the market.
Black Velvet is one current standout for the brand, described as chunky, beautiful, and testing well. Silver Surfer is more nostalgic—a strain they have been running since near the beginning and originally hunted years ago.
Back to proprietary genetics
One of the stronger operator takeaways is that 3Bros is getting back to its roots by developing more proprietary work.
Tyler explains that in the early days, the team hunted a lot of seeds and found unique strains from other breeders. While he has done some breeding, the brand’s early strength came from selecting and developing interesting genetics that felt distinct. Now, 3Bros is leaning back into that approach.
For buyers, that matters. Proprietary genetics help a brand stand out when shelves are crowded with the same familiar names.
California legal cannabis: “we lit the hoops on fire and kept jumping”
Tyler describes 3Bros as part of the early rollout of legal cannabis in California. He talks about the first licenses, early packaging requirements, and the constant regulatory hoops operators had to jump through.
The line that sums it up:
They kept showing up.
That is the longevity lesson. The brand went through highs, lows, distribution changes, self-distribution, and periods where their own store was the primary outlet. But they stayed active, kept attending shows, kept showing up online, and kept the network alive.
The “three bros” origin story
Tyler explains that the original 3Bros were:
- Tyler Smith
- His younger brother Russ
- Their friend Mark
A prior profile of the brand also describes 3Bros as founded by Tyler and Russell Smith, plus Mark Taylor, with roots on the Westside and a shared connection to surf culture and cannabis.
Before going fully into cannabis, Tyler was a pro surfer and later worked as a sales rep in the surf apparel world. That gave him direct exposure to brands like Volcom, Vans, Body Glove, and Oakley—and shaped how he thought about building 3Bros as a lifestyle brand.
Surf branding that actually fits
The surf influence is not forced. It is who they are.
Tyler says the brand naturally became a California surf-style cannabis brand because that was the team’s world. The newer packaging artwork leans into that identity, including a pelican smoking weed, designed by Santa Cruz artist Kevin Walter. Tyler says the artwork began as a sketch on a napkin and immediately felt like the right fit.
That is useful branding: local, memorable, and tied to a real story.
Affordable quality is the point
Tyler is clear that 3Bros wants to be a workman’s brand: something people can afford to buy regularly, not only for special occasions.
He says they pride themselves on making quality cannabis accessible and keeping product fresh by moving it, not letting it sit on shelves.
That message continues into their newest product launch.
New at Hall of Flowers: rosin gummies
At Hall of Flowers Ventura, 3Bros is launching rosin gummies.
Tyler positions them as:
- premium in quality
- made with rosin
- available in multiple flavor profiles
- priced competitively
- designed to be accessible rather than ultra-exclusive
His view is simple: rosin is a premium way to experience edibles, but that does not mean consumers should be priced out.
Rosin vapes are next
Right at the end of the interview, Tyler adds one more update: rosin cartridges / rosin vapes are coming next.
For retailers, that is worth watching. If 3Bros can carry its affordability and Santa Cruz identity into rosin vapes, it gives buyers another approachable solventless SKU with a clear brand story.
Why this matters for cannabis buyers and retailers
This interview highlights a few practical lessons:
1) Longevity is built by staying visible
3Bros survived the ups and downs by continuing to show up—at stores, at shows, and online.
2) Local identity is a real differentiator
Santa Cruz surf culture is not a gimmick for 3Bros. It is the brand’s foundation.
3) Premium does not have to mean unreachable
Rosin gummies and rosin vapes can be positioned as high-quality but still accessible.
4) Proprietary genetics help fight shelf sameness
The return to seed hunting and unique strains gives retailers something more interesting to talk about.
Where to follow 3Bros
Tyler points viewers to follow the brand on social:
@3Bros
Sponsorship note
This interview is part of the Respect My Region Hall of Flowers 2026 coverage. Canna Brand Solutions supported the broader series as a sponsor.
