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Edibles.com has opened its first retail store near the Atlanta Beltline's Eastside Trail in Inman Park.

Why it matters: Edible Brands, the parent company that established Edibles.com last year, said in a news release it's ready to expand its operations to include brick-and-mortar stores.

The latest: The store, at 245 N. Highland Ave., will have staff on hand to help customers peruse a "curated assortment" of hemp-derived THC products, according to the news release.

Customers must be 21 or older and present a valid ID to buy products.

Zoom in: What you see in the store will reflect what you can purchase on Edibles.com, including products made by brands like Wyld, Cann and Wana, as well as items from local companies such as Scofflaw Brewing.

The big picture: Thomas Winstanley, general manager and executive vice president of Edibles.com, said the store will also help customers better understand how to use the products, "whether that's managing stress, replacing alcohol, or improving sleep."

Context: The new store opens amid pending federal hemp restrictions that could upend the more than $30 billion cannabis industry. 

"As part of a broader organization, retail has always been central to our long-term strategy to expand access to these products," Winstanley said in a statement to Axios.

What they're saying: Edible Brands CEO Somia Farid Silber said a retail store selling hemp products should "operate with transparency, education, and consumer protection at its core."

"This store reflects our long-term commitment to building this category the right way — for consumers, communities, and the industry," Silber said.

Flashback: Edible Brands began in 1999 as Edible Arrangements, offering edible fruit, desserts and other treats in elaborate designs. 

It later renamed itself, ventured into the world of CBD and hemp-based products, and launched Edibles.com.

If you go: The store's hours of operation are 11am-8pm Tuesday-Saturday and 11am-7pm Sunday.

Edibles.com opens first store near Atlanta Beltline

The store, which is located near the Atlanta Beltline, will feature a variety of CBD and hemp-derived products.

Corner storefront with red brick exterior and large glass windows; a sign reads "EDIBLES.COM" above, and an orange circular sign that says "EDIBLES" hangs over the entrance.

Edibles.com's first retail store is now open in Inman Park. Photo: Courtesy of Edible Brands

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Edibles.com" data-vars-click-url="https://edibles.com/" data-vars-content-id="10a3f09a-9f17-4399-b056-a4b3c375ecbd" data-vars-headline="Edibles.com opens first store near Atlanta Beltline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://edibles.com/" target="_blank">Edibles.com</a> has opened its first retail store near the Atlanta Beltline&#x27;s Eastside Trail in Inman Park.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Edible Brands" data-vars-click-url="https://ediblebrands.com/" data-vars-content-id="10a3f09a-9f17-4399-b056-a4b3c375ecbd" data-vars-headline="Edibles.com opens first store near Atlanta Beltline" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ediblebrands.com/" target="_blank">Edible Brands</a>, the parent company that established Edibles.com last year, said in a news release it&#x27;s ready to expand its operations to include brick-and-mortar stores.

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Business

Black women remain three times more likely than white and Hispanic women to die from pregnancy-related complications, according to the latest maternal mortality rates released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Why it matters: Advocates fear inconsistent abortion access across the U.S. and anti-DEI efforts by the Trump administration could fuel the continued racial disparities.

The latest: The maternal mortality rate for 2024 (the latest year available) stood at 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, down from 18.6 in 2023, CDC data shows.

By race, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 44.8, down from 50.3.

Rates for white women (14.5 to 14.2) and Hispanic women (12.4 to 12.1) dipped slightly, while rates for Asian women rose sharply (10.7 to 18.1).

What they're saying: Angela D. Aina, co-founder and executive director of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, hopes her organization's annual Black Maternal Health Week will continue drawing attention to these gaps.

Black Maternal Health Week, which began April 11 and runs through April 17, highlights Black woman-led efforts to raise awareness about systemic inequities that affect maternal and birth outcomes.

Aina told Axios anti-DEI efforts have meant that Black-led efforts to address disparate outcomes have not been granted the same funding support that "more traditional" maternal and child health organizations continue to receive.

This also means funding for research focused on Black maternal health inequities has dried up.

"It has been real detrimental to the ability of so many of our partners across the Alliance to be able to continue to scale their programs," Aina said.

State of play: Aina told Axios that Georgia's six-week abortion ban and a patchy network of laws across the country have not only negatively affected health outcomes for pregnant women, but have also changed how health care workers carry out their duties.

Some women have experienced miscarriages and were later charged with crimes after health care workers called law enforcement.

One woman in Florida, who was in labor, had to appear in court via Zoom after she refused to undergo a C-section.

Two women in Georgia died after they were unable to access timely emergency medical care, according to ProPublica. 

A woman in southeast Georgia was charged with murder last month after she took abortion pills to end her pregnancy.

"These abortion bans gave way for draconian policies ... to be practiced, especially in Southern states, in a way that has resulted in pregnancy criminalization," Aina said.

The big picture: Nicole Rankins, a Richmond, Virginia-based OB-GYN physician and host of the "Birth With Power" podcast, told Axios that closing gaps in maternal mortality rates can begin by health care workers recognizing and addressing unconscious biases.

"It just means that — whether you realize it or not — Black women are being treated differently than other people in the health care system," she said. "That ... bias leads to poor outcomes," she said.

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show Rankins' podcast is entitled "Birth With Power" (not "All About Birth").

Black maternal mortality gap still persists in U.S.

The maternal mortality rate for Black women was 44.8 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with 14.2 for white women, 12.1 for Hispanic women and 18.1 for Asian women

Illustration of geometric shapes containing a pregnant Black woman and ultrasounds.

Black women remain three times more likely than white and Hispanic women to die from pregnancy-related complications, according to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="latest maternal mortality rates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/hestat113.htm" data-vars-content-id="1d5fc442-0c27-466c-96c5-a065bd79abe6" data-vars-headline="Black maternal mortality gap still persists in U.S." data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/hestat113.htm" target="_blank">latest maternal mortality rates</a> released last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why it matters: Advocates fear inconsistent abortion access across the U.S. and anti-DEI efforts by the Trump administration could fuel the continued racial disparities.

Health

Staycationing but want some plans? Check out these events happening around metro Atlanta:

🍻 Sweetwater 420 Fest is back at a new location, bringing two days of music and beer to Atlanta's largest green space, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park. (Fri.-Sat.) 

🪴 Stock up on some greenery at Cobb Master Gardeners' 26th annual Plant Sale & Expo. (Fri.-Sat.)

🎵 Cardi B brings her Little Miss Drama Tour to Atlanta. (Fri.-Sat.)

🏍️ MotoAmerica brings exciting motorcycle racing to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. (Fri.-Sun.)

⚽ Atlanta United hosts Nashville at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Sat.)

🎤 Saturday's game, dubbed HBCU Night by the team, will feature a halftime performance by Atlanta hip-hop artist T.I.

🥁 You can also catch marching bands from Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College's show off their drumline skills.

🥎 Boom ball, a high-energy, entertainment-driven spin on baseball, makes its debut in metro Atlanta with a match between the Lucky Llamas and the Chaos Crew. (Sat.)

👩🏽‍🦱 Create community, pick up new skills and celebrate culture at the Natural Hair, Health and Beauty Show. (Sat.-Sun.)

🚲 Take advantage of a car-free Peachtree with Atlanta Streets Alive. (Sun.)

⚽ Play Fair ATL hosts a community soccer tournament, food, music and family-friendly activities at Candler Park. (Sun.)

Weekend events: Sweetwater Fest, Boom Ball, Streets Alive

Sweetwater 420 Fest will be held April 17-18 at Shirley Clarke Franklin Park.

Bearded baserunner in white with a purple sleeve slides into home as a black-clad catcher leaps to tag; a crowded stadium watches from the stands.

Lucky Llamas and Chaos Crew will take the field for a game of Boom Ball, a high-energy, entertainment-focused form of baseball. Photo: Courtesy of Adam Levermore for Boom Ball

Staycationing but want some plans? Check out these events happening around metro Atlanta:🍻 Sweetwater 420 Fest is back at a new location, bringing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="two days" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/12/17/sweetwater-420-fest-2026-shirley-clarke-franklin-park" data-vars-content-id="5eb3f333-9a54-4011-8791-5ced4ea2f1e7" data-vars-headline="Weekend events: Sweetwater Fest, Boom Ball, Streets Alive" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/12/17/sweetwater-420-fest-2026-shirley-clarke-franklin-park" target="_self">two days</a> of music and beer to Atlanta&#x27;s largest green space, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park. (<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fri.-Sat." data-vars-click-url="https://sweetwater420fest.com/tickets/" data-vars-content-id="5eb3f333-9a54-4011-8791-5ced4ea2f1e7" data-vars-headline="Weekend events: Sweetwater Fest, Boom Ball, Streets Alive" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://sweetwater420fest.com/tickets/" target="_blank">Fri.-Sat.</a>)

Things to Do

The Atlanta Beltline will celebrate the completion of two segments along its Southside Trail with a ribbon cutting Thursday.

The latest: The ribbon cutting will mark the opening of Segments 4 and 5, called the Southeast Trail, a 1.2-mile path that runs from Boulevard to Glenwood Avenue.

It completes the segment that runs from the Krog Street Tunnel to Boulevard.

It also brings the trail network's total miles paved to 14.8.

Zoom in: Along with improving connectivity for the Grant Park, Ormewood Park, Boulevard Heights and Glenwood Park neighborhoods, the trail also creates safer routes to school for students who attend Parkside Elementary and Maynard Jackson High schools, the Beltline said in a news release.

State of play: Beltline officials are also soliciting bids from companies to build Segment 3 of the Northeast Trail, as well as connector trails 1 through 4. 

This 2.8-mile stretch runs from Buford Highway to Peachtree Creek and will include connections to MARTA's Lindbergh station, the Path400 trail, and commercial areas near Armour and Ottley drives.

What's next: The Beltline said construction on the remaining Southside Trail will be completed by June, bringing the network's paved path to 17.9 miles.

Atlanta Beltline celebrates opening of Southside Trail segment

Segments 4 and 5 of the trail are a 1.2-mile path that runs from Boulevard to Glenwood Avenue.

An aerial view of brick apartment buildings on the left, a white curved path through a park in the center, two runners in the foreground, and dense trees on the right under a blue sky.

A segment of the Atlanta Beltline's Southside Trail. Photo: Courtesy of Erin Sintos

The Atlanta Beltline will celebrate the completion of two segments along its Southside Trail with a ribbon cutting Thursday.The latest: The ribbon cutting will mark the opening of Segments 4 and 5, called the Southeast Trail, a 1.2-mile path that runs from Boulevard to Glenwood Avenue.<ul><li>It completes the segment that runs from the Krog Street Tunnel to Boulevard.</li><li>It also brings the trail network&#x27;s total miles paved to 14.8.</li></ul>

News

If you're weighing whether to list your property on Airbnb for World Cup visitors coming into town, a new tool released by the company could help you make that decision.

Why it matters: It pays (pun intended) to see how much you could earn from offering your space for rent.

Driving the news: Airbnb on Wednesday unveiled its Host Earnings Calculator for users in cities hosting FIFA World Cup games this summer.

It comes after Airbnb announced it would provide a $750 incentive to new hosts who offer their entire home for rent on the platform.

How it works: The calculator factors in when, where and how long homeowners plan to host guests, and what kind of listing they will offer.

As of Thursday, the calculator shows that a person offering a two-bedroom house for rent in metro Atlanta from June 14 to July 16 could earn from $135 to $556 per night.

Yes, but: The calculation takes into account the location of the home, with more pricey options available closer to the heart of the city.

The intrigue: Airbnb has identified Buckhead, the southern portion of the city and southwest Atlanta as "trending neighborhoods" since they've seen the largest year-over-year growth in bookings. 

Zoom out: In December, the company said hosts in Atlanta could collectively earn about $3.7 million hosting guests for the games, according to a Deloitte study commissioned by the platform.

The study projected that about 216,000 people who need places to stay will visit Atlanta and its surrounding cities.

Deloitte said this includes about 6,000 Airbnb guests, who they expect will contribute 45,000 "guest nights" during the eight matches Atlanta will host. 

State of play: FIFA last month returned some hotel rooms it booked in advance, and several hotel operators told the AJC that reservation rates have remained slow.

What we're watching: If property owners will look at Airbnb's estimator tool and determine if it's worth it. 

Airbnb releases tool to estimate potential earnings as World Cup host

The new estimator comes on top of Airbnb offering a $750 incentive to first-time hosts who list their entire homes on the site.

Illustration of a hundred dollar bill as a welcome mat at an open door

If you&#x27;re weighing whether to list your property on Airbnb for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="World Cup" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/06/12/2026-fifa-world-cup-atlanta" data-vars-content-id="bee1e3c9-068b-4603-b952-30b48977f230" data-vars-headline="Airbnb releases tool to estimate potential earnings as World Cup host" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/atlanta/2025/06/12/2026-fifa-world-cup-atlanta" target="_self">World Cup</a> visitors coming into town, a new tool released by the company could help you make that decision.Why it matters: It pays (pun intended) to see how much you could earn from offering your space for rent.

Kristal Dixon

Featured stories

Weekend events: Sweetwater Fest, Boom Ball, Streets Alive

Black maternal mortality gap still persists in U.S.

Atlanta Beltline celebrates opening of Southside Trail segment

Airbnb releases tool to estimate potential earnings as World Cup host

Edibles.com opens first store near Atlanta Beltline