Time
will tell, but right now there is no cookie-cutter cannabis store. You
won’t find a floor plan like Wal-Mart, Target, or 7/11. Cannabis dispensaries and retail shops are still an evolving phenomenon, somewhere between the pressures of market and state regulations.
Early medical cannabis marketplace
Where
medical cannabis dispensaries have operated legally for a few years,
they have favored a barebones appearance. They feature a basic
unimaginative and gray décor distinguished by green crosses on the
windows.
In
some cities, they opened their doors in low rent districts where they
could serve a frankly dubious clientele. In the first days, their only
competition was the black market on the streets.
So,
the dispensaries arose where they could meet that market. Those
customers who are looking for medical marijuana with quality control
could opt for the dispensary, but those shopping for price would
continue to stick to the street.
Taking it off the street
Cannabis dispensaries
are still working on that pricing problem. But, the shopping habits of
medical cannabis customers are turning away from the street.
The
list of medical conditions eligible for medical cannabis treatment has
expanded. As it has grown, the universe of patients includes a broader
socio-economic market.
The
demographics that sought approval for liberalized laws on cannabis
access – medical and recreational – represent a market shift. It moves
away from the scaley, stealthy, stoner crowd. The potential is, in the
words of Raphael Danilo, a “transfer of wealth from a black market economy to legal private agents and the state.”
But, as Mike McDonald of Ember Studio writes,
“The image of the industry hasn’t changed rapidly enough to make these
would-be customers feel comfortable with becoming regulars at their
local dispensary.”
Average age was 41.5 with half over 50. Per the University of Michigan study cited
by Robb, “87% of the participants reported that they were seeking
medical marijuana for pain relief, either alone or in conjunction with
other reasons.”
Those who responded in the 348 study sample reported
treating “spasms (n = 66), nausea (n = 41), musculoskeletal problems
(n = 23), neurological (n = 18), cancer (n = 12), gastrointestinal
problems (n = 11), glaucoma (n = 10) or chronic infection (HIV and
Hepatitis C; n = 8)."
Kathleen Burke reporting
for Market Watch quotes Derek Peterson, CEO at Terra Tech, “Disease
tends to affect a broad cross section of people.” And, that radically
diversifies the market.
As
the market diversifies, it begins to shape the marketing effort in
terms of physical location, store décor, square footage, packaging, and
much more. According to Adria Such for TheFarmCo.com, “Marijuana dispensaries strive to make buying marijuana about much more than getting high.”
Designing the store
Retail
cannabis shops will vary from one environment to another. A shop in
Boulder, CO with its huge student population will differ from shops
serving Aurora or Littleton. The ambiance in Oakland, CA will differ
from the customer climate in Palo Alto or South Central L.A.
As
providers discover efficiencies in process and economies of scale, some
uniformity will arise in signage, language, and packaging. Until then,
the respective state regulations rule.
Medical
cannabis dispensaries and cannabis shops must be secured. They need
protection from theft, burglary, and vandalism. So, they will typically
have doors and windows tightly secured.
On
entering, customers must pass a guard and present a legal I.D. in a
lobby or waiting room. You wait there until your name is called, time
you can spend reading the menu of items available.
In
time, your name will be called, and you will be buzzed into the sales
room. Once inside, you will find the available cannabis strains on
display. In most cases, they display in glass cases or in large glass
jars.
Ideally,
the place will be well-lit, clean, and comfortable, and the display
will include description of the product, its ingredients, and potential
effects. Remembering that customers are sitting in the waiting room, you
should proceed through your shopping with some focus.
Because
touching the buds on display will damage them, the budtender or
cannabarista will use chopsticks to trim the strain you want. You can
also select packaged edibles like cookies, candies, and capsules. And,
the clerk will package your purchases for you.
The
medical marijuana dispensary, of course, requires a doctor’s
prescription or medical marijuana card. They will enter the prescription
into a database for future use, but you must renew the prescription
annually.
They
will discuss matching your medical needs with recommended products, and
if you ask, they will explain how to smoke or use the product. But, in
the most restrictive medical marijuana states, you will have little
choice among the medical derivatives.
The
adult-use cannabis store also requires your identification, proving you
are aged 21-years or older. The state determines the right to purchase;
for example, in Colorado, legal residents may purchase one ounce, and
non-residents may buy 0.25 ounce.
Most
dispensaries and shops work on a cash only basis, so if you want to use
a credit card, you should call the outlet ahead of your visit. State
protocols may prohibit smoking within so many feet of the store or
smoking in public entirely.
What the future holds
Users
should not expect dispensaries or adult-use cannabis stores to appear
on every corner or fill the strip malls as ubiquitous as Starbucks.
State
regulations require security measures including guards, locks, and
surveillance cameras. They require temperature and humidity controls.
And, they mandate point-of-sale procedures that will influence hardware
and software.
Regulation
controls entrance and egress, lighting and storage, and shipping and
handling. All these directly and indirectly affect the architecture and
layout. And, those influence the location options.
Customer
traffic and their tastes will eventually differentiate stores in image
and décor. The baby boomer males who want it might favor something along
the lines of a cigar club. The middle-age women might prefer something
softer, simpler, and sophisticated.
It
will be a long time before the state cannabis commissions or control
boards will make room for the diversity that alcohol purveyors enjoy
under state regulation. Still, medical marijuana dispensaries will shake
their public clinic dullness. Cannabis stores will step up to the
competition configure appearance and service as branding. But, you are
not likely to see express, discount, or outlet options.
The
best advice to cannabis users – first time and veterans – is to buckle
in because for a few years if will be a bumpy ride. In the meantime,
first time visitors can be assured that there is nothing to fear in an
environment where the people are so willing to help.
"Allbud.com is your comprehensive guide to recreational and medical marijuana
dispensaries and strains where you could find nearby dispensaries with
reviews and/or explore over 3,000 strains with photos, videos and
reviews."
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