Going green has never felt so good. Just ask Chris Ganan, a senior executive at marijuana juggernaut MedMen. (Specifically, his title is Chief Strategy Officer). Our boy has ridden the great ganja way high up to abundant riches. Take a look at his fancy new digs in the tony Brentwood neighborhood of LA.
For those of y’all who do not partake — that includes Yolanda, but we never judge — MedMen is LA-based (specifically, they’re headquartered in Culver City) and is one of the most prominent kush-shilling companies in the country. MedMen made all the headlines when they filed for an IPO on the Canadian Securities Exchange this May (2018), becoming the largest publicly-traded US-based cannabis company at the time. However, the stock has taken a beatin’ since then, igniting controversy over both its future viability and its executive payment plans, which have proven exceedingly (some say outrageously) lucrative for its top brass. Still, plenty of pundits espouse the firm and say it’ll be just fine.
Anyway, Mr. Ganan’s bio on the MedMen website says he “brings vast institutional experience in business operations, private equity, real estate and FinTech. Mr. Ganan was instrumental in MedMen’s capital formation and guides MedMen’s investment strategy.” Well, that’s a far more eloquent summary than anything Yolanda can provide, so there you have it.
Now in his mid-30s, Mr. Ganan and a lady named Stephanie Turner were married in a star-studded ceremony down in Rancho Santa Fe back in July 2013.
Ms. Turner is an occasional actress and a daughter of the NFL’s Norv Turner, who currently toils as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. She’s also a writer who received notice for her footballbrat.com blog (her website is under construction at the moment). She and Mr. Ganan have at least one young child.
Anywho, we must profess ignorance as to Mr. Ganan’s net worth and salary, but it’s clear he did quite well from the recent MedMen IPO and such. Before buying this $9,525,000 property, he and the missus resided in a rather charming (but far more modest) bungalow out in the WeHo/Melrose area. They had the remodeled cottage featured in Sunset magazine last year.
The wee house has just 2 beds and 1 bath in 1,144-square-feet of living space. Why, that’s positively microscopic by rich people standards!
Moving on. For the record, the Spanish-style Brentwood estate was built in 1999 — though it could easily pass for something decades older — and last sold back in 2001 for $3,500,000. The buyers then were Fox TV CEO Dana Walden and her longtime hubby Matt.
Mrs. Walden is — for those who don’t know — one of the most powerful women in the entertainment industry. And a powerhouse CEO like her requires done-up digs, so she sunk loads of money into renovating and beautifying every inch of the estate during her 17 years of ownership. Yolanda quite likes the result, but judge for yourselves.
Ornate double gates hide a spacious courtyard, and a short brick walkway leads to the wooden front door. Inside, the foyer’s gleaming hardwood floors will impress guests, and the arches and wood detailing will fool everyone into thinking they’re standing in a 1920s Wallace Neff masterpiece. Maybe.
The formal living room features a gigantic fireplace, and the dining room has French doors that allow generous heaps of light (and fresh air if so desired) into the place. If Mr. Ganan wants a doobie with his supper but doesn’t care to let the smoke linger, just swing ’em doors open.
More intimate spaces include a family room (also with a fireplace) that opens to a brick lounge/dining patio (with another fireplace). There’s also a full outdoor kitchen/BBQ area with bar-style seating. Views out yonder take in the verdant lawn with its built-in trampoline.
Beyond the lawn and partially hidden by trees is the pool complex. The sprawling brick terrace has numerous options for sunbathing, and the classy rectangular pool features an inset spa.
The guesthouse includes yet another fireplace, a gym, and a wee bedroom suite.
Back in the main house, there are a total of 4 beds and 4.75 baths, including the romantic upstairs master, which sports a large balcony overlooking the backyard. Somewhere there’s a study/library filled with lots of real books.
In addition to the big new Brentwood place and their WeHo bungalow (which they still own), records show the Turner-Ganans also owned a small Beverly Grove casita. The couple sold that last month (November 2018) for $2,257,000, a nice chunk more than the $1,950,000 they paid for it last year.
No word yet on where Mr. and Mrs. Walden are moving, but Yolanda would bet big bucks it will be in LA. After all, Mrs. Walden basically runs half of Hollywood. Well not really, of course, but you get the idea.
And on a final note, we wish Mr. Ganan, Ms. Turner, their child(ren) and Mary Jane lots of happiness, health and hemp at their new property.
Listing agent: David Offer, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Chris Ganan & Stephanie Turner’s agent: Lindsay Guttman, The Agency