Wow, Colorado!
I really do love living here. What a rush it has been to make the dispensary rounds, to talk with folks about marijuana, to smell the flowers along the way, to really look at what the world could be like if we all just went legal and let the cannabis industry do its thing.
I really do love living here. What a rush it has been to make the dispensary rounds, to talk with folks about marijuana, to smell the flowers along the way, to really look at what the world could be like if we all just went legal and let the cannabis industry do its thing.
It has been a thrill to make my way around the state and peek into in rec shops at my leisure. It has helped that I have been on a mission, on a landrace chase, that I get online and research and take off after yet another lead. Because of that, because of my current desire to get into the business, because it’s just so much fun to shop for dope so openly that I just had to undertake a weekends worth of rec shop shopping. And boy, did I have fun!
What got me going in the direction of Denver was a Labor Day weekend shuttle run out to Glenwood Springs. I knew that if I made a trip all the way out there that I better have something cool in mind to do once I got in close to the city. So, after I left my charges in good hands I made my way back to Denver with the express desire of checking out the Oasis Cannabis Superstore. I've never had the chance to explore that side of town before, so I excitedly got off of 70 on 44th, cruised the strip and stopped right before I hit Sheridan.
Oasis. There was no mistaking it. Big colorful letters, great graphics, a DJ in the parking lot knocking out rap hits and steady stream of excited customers flocking inside. The store was large, bright, airy and welcoming, the staff personable and the wide range of flowers, oils and edibles incredible. The secret to stocking their 250 and counting flower strains seems to be their fantastic wholesale connections. I saw 125 dollar ounces of Lemon Haze for sale, but what really rocked my world was finding both top shelf and mid-range dope of the same strain available at the same time, perfect for a guy like me on a budget. It was pretty overwhelming at first but I got help from a wonderful budtender who got into my hands a nice variety of flower to take home, including Fools Gold, Afghani, Lemon Haze, Snowdrop and a couple others that right now slip my mind. Happy man!
I took my show on the road and hit up Natures Herb and Wellness in Garden City next and picked up some Skunk #1. They have been my go to store since the first day I arrived in Colorado and have not had a bad time, yet. Some days I feel like I am a bit too old to be shopping in such a youthful store but every once in a while I get a dynamite staffer who really likes to talk about cannabis and is open to hearing about my needs, not just the sales needs of the store. I walked in one day a week or so ago and my energy, my excitement about cannabis was commented on as a positive thing. Gotta catch them early in the morning before it gets too hectic to warrant that kind of observation from them!
After a return to the mountains pick up my peeps on Labor Day I spent the better part of Tuesday (thank you Civil Service!) cruising the dispensaries in Fort Collins. Two dispensaries stood out: the first was Infinite Wellness, not only for being a Leafly award winner 8 months running and for having a nice landrace strain for me to take home (Lamb’s Breath) but for also hiring white haired folk! I chatted for a while with one of the counter people, a gentleman and ex-military guy who had been a driver for Cheeba Chews. He got tired of delivering edibles all over the state and secured a good job with Infinite. It made me feel good knowing that the industry is starting to realize that a large senior customer footprint is headed that way. I took a hard look at their menu before I left and will have to go back as they have Hawaiian Sativa on rotation. Just can't wait!
I did hit a number of other places in town but either the stock wasn’t there (busy holiday weekend!) or the vibe was not quite what I wanted (heavy on the head shop!). I was rolling out of town when I stopped into Kind Care and was pleasantly surprised by a number of things. First, the staff was warm, inviting, knowledgeable and authentic, a breath of fresh air after the grubby college boy look. The space was clean, bright and well appointed. The jars of flowers not only had the names of the strains contained therein but also the genetics, percentages and strengths were posted as well. Wow, what a concept! It was great to hit a shop that had knowledgeable staff behind the counter who cared about their product and the needs of the customers, instead of having stoner budtenders tell me about how red and pretty a bud is in order to sell the stock! Not only did I walk out of there with a gram of Headband Haze, but I got a lighter and a shop sticker as well! If I ever get around to working in this industry as a bud tender that would be the place where I would like to work. Friendly is important, but being real is even a bigger draw. And I will have to go back there soon to see if their Purple Thai has come in!
Colorado. Yes, I really do love this place. The dry High Plains air, the late afternoon summer thunderstorms, the wild spring blizzards, the not so distant mountains, the wide and varied culture, the endless kindness of the people. But even more I love the way that personal freedoms are embraced here. It’s not so much libertarian but close enough. The cannabis movement, the legitimacy of it, the legality of it, has helped the world to see that it is more than just another business, it is something you can trust and build community on.
My rec shop crawl was instructive in helping me to see what kinds of weed are out there for sale. Even better was seeing all the folks, both behind the counter and partaking of the goods, celebrating the goodness of cannabis. Get out there and shop around. Find that favorite strain of yours and then go find another. There is so much to choose from! Viva choice! Viva freedom to partake!
Salud!
Oasis Cannabis Superstore
5430 W 44th Ave, Denver, CO / 303-333-33338
Nature’s Herb and Wellness
540 27th St. Garden City, CO / 970-573-5087
Infinite Wellness
900 N. College Ave, Fort Collins, CO / 970-484-8380
Kind Care
6617 S. College Ave, Fort Collins, CO / 970-568-8020
http://www.kindcare.co/
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