Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Cannabis outsiders think owning a dispensary is like having a cash register, but cannabis insiders know how it really works. The tight margins and onerous restrictions challenge even the best owner to make decent profits. Brendan Hill, the drummer for the iconic band Blues Traveler, found this out when he opened his dispensary Paper & Leaf on Bainbridge Island in Washington.
"In Washington state, they are pretty specific about what we can sell in the cannabis shop. Several items like T-shirts, anything that's branded that isn't for cannabis consumption can't be sold and being in rock and roll, what's better than a tour shirt?" he said. In addition, if his customers got thirsty or hungry, he couldn't sell them anything at Paper and Leaf. So, they opened a sister store next door called Market Elevated with a separate entrance. It's described as a "Pacific Northwest Lifestyle Shop."
"We've got 200 or 300 people going through Paper and Leaf each day, so it's a perfect opportunity to have them go next door to Market Elevated," Hill said. As a bonus, they moved items like glass paraphernalia out of Paper & Leaf and over to Market Elevated where they could add to their business tax deductions.
Tapping into his rock and roll roots, Hill also sells art work from other rock stars like Paul McCartney. "To me, rock and roll and cannabis have always been linked," said Hill. The store also has the original prints of Pink Floyd album covers like Dark Side Of The Moon and Animals by Storm Thorgerson framed in glass, numbered and signed. His shop is set up with the flower in picture boxes with a gallery feel with each box representing a specific grower. Hill calls it a "non-sketchy vibe."
Bainbridge Island is home to only 25,000 residents, but it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state. As a result, tourists are a big part of the business so Hill and his partner invested in a shuttle van to pick up them up at the ferry. The van turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the medical patients on the island who can't drive. His client clientele ranges from newbies to doctors, lawyers, soccer moms and book club ladies.
Hill acknowledged that Washington state is a little bit excessive with the regulations, but he appreciates the all the testing and believes it's a good thing. Taxes are high in the state for cannabis at approximately 37%, while California is expected to be in the range of 15%. Hill says he doesn't mind paying the taxes since he believes it is being put to good use by the state, but he believes it would be easier if states were more similar in their tax levels.
Still, he is happy to work within the system that has been established saying, "Ten years ago, no one ever thought there would be a dispensary."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Blues Traveler Brendan Hill Takes The High Road With His Cannabis Dispensary
Author: Debra Borchardt
Contact: Contact Information
Photo Credit: Market Elevated
Website: {{meta.title}}
"In Washington state, they are pretty specific about what we can sell in the cannabis shop. Several items like T-shirts, anything that's branded that isn't for cannabis consumption can't be sold and being in rock and roll, what's better than a tour shirt?" he said. In addition, if his customers got thirsty or hungry, he couldn't sell them anything at Paper and Leaf. So, they opened a sister store next door called Market Elevated with a separate entrance. It's described as a "Pacific Northwest Lifestyle Shop."
"We've got 200 or 300 people going through Paper and Leaf each day, so it's a perfect opportunity to have them go next door to Market Elevated," Hill said. As a bonus, they moved items like glass paraphernalia out of Paper & Leaf and over to Market Elevated where they could add to their business tax deductions.
Tapping into his rock and roll roots, Hill also sells art work from other rock stars like Paul McCartney. "To me, rock and roll and cannabis have always been linked," said Hill. The store also has the original prints of Pink Floyd album covers like Dark Side Of The Moon and Animals by Storm Thorgerson framed in glass, numbered and signed. His shop is set up with the flower in picture boxes with a gallery feel with each box representing a specific grower. Hill calls it a "non-sketchy vibe."
Bainbridge Island is home to only 25,000 residents, but it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state. As a result, tourists are a big part of the business so Hill and his partner invested in a shuttle van to pick up them up at the ferry. The van turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the medical patients on the island who can't drive. His client clientele ranges from newbies to doctors, lawyers, soccer moms and book club ladies.
Hill acknowledged that Washington state is a little bit excessive with the regulations, but he appreciates the all the testing and believes it's a good thing. Taxes are high in the state for cannabis at approximately 37%, while California is expected to be in the range of 15%. Hill says he doesn't mind paying the taxes since he believes it is being put to good use by the state, but he believes it would be easier if states were more similar in their tax levels.
Still, he is happy to work within the system that has been established saying, "Ten years ago, no one ever thought there would be a dispensary."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Blues Traveler Brendan Hill Takes The High Road With His Cannabis Dispensary
Author: Debra Borchardt
Contact: Contact Information
Photo Credit: Market Elevated
Website: {{meta.title}}