Montpelier already had two cannabis shops when John Benjamins hatched his idea for Winterland Haze last summer. By the time he opened his doors in December, the number of competitors in the Capital City had increased to three, and a pair of new dispensaries had hung their shingles in nearby Barre.
Benjamins' Main Street outlet is located just a few storefronts down from a larger, established shop, Capital Cannabis. Benjamins believed the city of 8,000 could support an array of weed purveyors and that he could distinguish himself by focusing on products from very small growers. Business, however, is off to a slow start.
"I was hoping for three times the sales that we're having," he said.
Five months in, Winterland Haze is trying to find a way forward. Benjamins tries to sell products for less than other competitors, but the industry has turned "cutthroat," he said, with some retailers warning their suppliers against doing business with rival shop owners.
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