The wellness industry is shifting. More people are looking beyond prescriptions and quick fixes, turning instead to natural, plant-based solutions that support both mind and body. At the heart of this movement is a quiet revolution, led not by big brands but by individuals with lived experience who are reshaping the way we think about healing. Lindsay French is one of them.
In 2001, a car accident left her in chronic pain. Like many others, she followed her doctor’s advice and was prescribed fentanyl patches. What began as a solution for pain quickly spiraled into a years-long struggle with opioid dependence. Her journey to recovery took more than a decade, and it reshaped her life in ways she never expected.
After finally breaking free from opioids, Lindsay set out to heal, not just survive. Recovery was not clean or linear. It was filled with trial and error, frustration, and a deep desire to find something that truly worked. That’s when she found plant medicine. Functional mushrooms and cannabis did not just help her manage pain, they helped her reconnect to her body and mind in a way pharmaceuticals never had.
This discovery lit a spark. Lindsay realized that if these tools could support her healing, they could help others too, especially those who felt overwhelmed, dismissed, or left behind by traditional healthcare systems. She started digging deeper into alternative wellness practices, reading everything she could get her hands on, and having conversations with people who had similar stories of struggle and survival.
In 2018, she opened Hippie & French in Pittsburgh, a cannabis boutique built on empathy and education. From the start, her vision was clear, create a safe, welcoming space where people could explore healing without shame or judgment. No hard sells. No confusing jargon. Just honest conversations, high-quality plant-based products, and support that meets people where they are.
Stepping into Hippie & French feels less like a dispensary and more like a warm, thoughtfully curated living room. Every product, whether CBD, adaptogens, low-dose THC, or mushrooms, is carefully selected with wellness in mind. But it’s not just about what’s on the shelves. It’s about how people are treated when they walk through the door.
Lindsay’s team is made up of educators, not salespeople. They listen first. They guide without pressure. This environment is especially important for women, many of whom arrive with questions, hesitations, and personal stories of their own. Lindsay’s background in corporate sales taught her exactly what she did not want, impersonal transactions and environments that made people feel small. Hippie & French is the antidote.
Over time, the boutique has grown into more than a retail space. It’s a hub for community, a place where people come not just to shop, but to learn, connect, and feel seen. Lindsay’s honesty about her own healing journey has helped break stigma and open doors for others to talk about theirs. She regularly hosts events, workshops, and online conversations to keep education and community at the center of her mission.
What began as her personal road to recovery has grown into a movement rooted in compassion and trust. Hippie & French stands as a powerful example of what happens when personal experience meets purpose, a space that empowers others to take control of their wellness and explore healing on their own terms.
For many across Pittsburgh and beyond, this boutique has become more than a destination, it’s a beginning. A place where curiosity is welcome, support is real, and healing is possible.
