VENICE
BOYS
The Venice Boy Story: From the Streets to Building a Legacy
The story of Venice Boys is not just a brand—it’s my life journey, based on true events, filled with hardship, survival, and transformation. My name is Hugo Moreno, and the road that led me here wasn’t easy. It’s a story of years spent running, fighting, and ultimately finding a way to turn my struggles into success.
Growing up in Venice Beach, I was pulled into a life that often felt inescapable. I was in and out of juvenile hall, camp, youth authority (YA), and even prison. On top of that, I spent years constantly running from CRASH LAPD (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums), dodging the system that seemed determined to keep me down. Life wasn’t about thriving—it was about surviving.
Things took a dark turn when I became caught in a gang injunction case (City of Los Angeles vs Venice 13), and later, a cannabis arrest, long before the plant was legalized. At the same time, I suffered from a gunshot wound to the back. Every year that passed, I found myself deeper in a cycle of arrests and incarceration. I was in and out of jail for years, wondering if this was all there for me.
But somewhere in those dark times, I realized one thing: everything I experienced, whether good or bad, was something I thought about and brought to life. That simple truth changed everything for me. If my thoughts had power over my circumstances, I knew I had to think my way to a different reality.
That’s when the vision for Venice Boys was born. Venice Beach had always been my home, a place where the streets meet the ocean, and where anything feels possible. I wanted to build a brand that reflected the grit, freedom, and uniqueness of Venice—a place where the streets gave you stories, but the coast gave you hope.
What started as a clothing brand quickly expanded into something more—cannabis, CBD products, and souvenirs that captured the Venice spirit. But Venice Boys wasn’t just about selling products. It became about giving people, especially minorities like me, the chance to break into the legal cannabis industry. I’ve seen too many people trapped by the system, and I knew it was time to create something that could help others build generational wealth and lead the industry’s next wave.
In recent years, I achieved federally registered trademarks for Venice Kush #6430744 and Venice Ganja #6072246 and secured licenses for cannabis delivery and manufacturing. What started as an idea in my head has turned into a fully licensed, vertically integrated business, ready to grow beyond the streets of Venice.
But none of this came easy. Every step forward was earned through years of struggle, hustling, and believing that change was possible. From creating the Venice Boys Grow Formula for cannabis cultivation to launching premium products, every part of this journey has been about resilience, vision, and the power of thought. You can think something into existence—good or bad. I’ve lived both sides of that reality.
This is my truth. It’s based on my real story of transformation—from running the streets, dodging CRASH LAPD, and spending years in jail to building something bigger than my past. I’m proud to be a Venice Boy, and this is the legacy I’m creating for the future.
