LaTosha Potter wants a level playing field in the highly competitive cannabis market.
CannaVibes Emporium co-owners said their medical and adult cannabis outlet at 1135 W. Dickman Road in Battle Creek is losing potential customers to pot shops in nearby Emmett Charter Township. rice field.
Under the current Battle Creek marijuana ordinance, cannabis businesses cannot operate between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.
“Quite a few customers said they were going there,” Potter said. “After they stop working for the day, all these cars are parked and closed. If people on the road were able to stay open later, it wouldn’t be fair, it would put them on a level playing field. It didn’t seem like it.”
Potter has brought the issue to the attention of the Battle Creek City Council, which will vote Tuesday on a resolution to amend the city’s marijuana ordinance and allow cannabis retailers to stay open until midnight. is. If the vote is passed, the ordinance will go into effect on November 11th.
“That’s not right. If we close at 9 p.m., we’re going to lose business,” Deputy Mayor Carla Reynolds said at an Oct. 18 meeting of the city council. of?”
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Potential changes to the city’s marijuana ordinance will keep Battle Creek’s CannaVibes and other dispensaries competitive in what is considered one of the state’s most saturated medical and adult cannabis markets. It may be useful for
According to the Michigan Cannabis Control Agency, Battle Creek currently has active licenses for about 25 marijuana retail establishments, including Emmett Charter (18) and Bedford Township (1). This is because we share a city and postal code.
There are more than a dozen dispensaries along approximately nine miles of paved road that begins along West Columbia Avenue in Battle Creek and ends along East Michigan Avenue in Emmett Township, and locals refer to the road as the “Marijuana Mile”. Or we call it the “Green Mile”.
In 2018, Michigan voters approved the legalization of recreational marijuana for adult personal use and the creation of a new recreational cannabis industry. Local governments ban use by individuals over the age of 21 You can’t, but you can ban and regulate your business.
In July, the City of Battle Creek hired Jackie McLean to fill the newly created role of cannabis coordinator. She said having a one-point person has helped streamline information to new and existing cannabis businesses in a statewide industry that is still in its relatively early stages.
“It’s a business like any other. It attracts people, it brings people to the city,” McLean said. “Many (cannabis businesses) are taking old buildings and renovating them in the community. The city is here to make sure they’re doing it in a safe way… state regulations It’s a joint effort: between the state, the city, and the business owner.”
Potter said CannaVibes will likely extend its opening hours, possibly on weekends, depending on demand. She also said she may need to hire more workers.
“We definitely need to get more employees. It depends on the date we decide to stay open and what the market is and what our customers want,” she said. Said I’m trying to enjoy my free time. “
Kristian VanderWaerden, regional manager of Sticky Battle Creek at 625 North Ave., said he would consider extending hours if the amendments were passed. Sticky has four locations in Michigan, all of which close at 9pm.
“We’ve been here for just over a year and it’s one of the few areas north of town where we feel embraced by the local community. “We’re not in the Mile, so we’re locals,” he said. “We’re going to wait and see. We want to respect our staff and their personal lives and see what the people who shop with us want us to do.”
Please contact reporter Nick Buckley at [email protected] or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter: @NickJBuckley