VIOLA STL is a collaboration between Village LLC., Viola Brands, and a local pair of entrepreneurs, Larry Hughes and Abe Givins. In 2020, the VIOLA STL team was awarded four medical cannabis licenses; 1 of 11 fully integrated cannabis operators and the only Black-owned and operated company in Missouri. Founded in 2019 by Dan Pettigrew and Al Harrington, Village Brands is a multi-state cannabis company that focuses on opportunities in newly legalized states that typically have higher growth potential and limited licensing, as well as opportunistic acquisitions or partnerships with high-quality operators who need the expertise and access to black-owned brands that only Village can provide.