Hempire customers seeking low-dose hemp products at its 3135 Superior Drive NW location last Saturday faced an unexpected added level of security as the store quietly shifted to selling cannabis.
"We did not announce it anywhere, except I think on our Facebook page," Hempire owner Shelly Buchanan said Thursday of the transition that's been in the works since the company became one of 14 retail dispensaries registered by Olmsted County to solely sell recreational cannabis.
She said the low-key effort was to help ensure systems were operating properly and new staff members were comfortable with established protocols to meet state and local requirements related to cannabis sales. "I did not want people to come in and have a bad experience or have expectations until we have this down," she said.
Green Goods, 3456 East Circle Drive, became the county's first legal outlet for recreational cannabis in September , using a state-issued medical cannabis combination business license to expand on its existing medical sales, but Hempire is the first state-licensed dispensary to undergo the county's selection process related to businesses seeking to focus on sales for recreation use, which was made possible through 2023 legislation.
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