I thought dispensary experiences were suppose to be pleasant

[John Deere]

Pharmacies are dispensing LEGAL drugs. Ever heard of the Feds raiding a Walgreens or CVS?

 

[stink.whistler]

Pharmacies are dispensing LEGAL drugs. Ever heard of the Feds raiding a Walgreens or CVS?

I have heard of the DEA raiding pharmacies, yes.

 

[John Deere]

Ok.

 

[Chong_Irie]

I think you guys are missing the point. I'm talking ONLY about California, because I have no understanding of the scene in other states. The reason a large amount of these shops have an "unprofessional" environment is because their customers enjoy it. Hmmm I wonder why somebody would be playing rap music and have bob marley posters, that seems to attract a certain demographic.... more shops in LA county then Starbucks...W**dtracker.com (enough said on that)... There is NO WAY this thing could have got so big just off sick people, not even close.

 

[Calimed]

Atmosphere is important, but what bothers me the most are budtenders that know nothing about weed. If you work at a dispensary, you should test and be able to intelligently discuss each strain in stock.

 

[stink.whistler]

...
There is NO WAY this thing could have got so big just off sick people, not even close.

Isn't the CA law written that it can be prescribed to people who would benefit from it? It seems CA has approached it that MMJ can be similar to a supplement, not that you need a specific illness, just that you can benefit from it. Like vitamin C.

I've seen fairly 'hippie' looking health food stores, why not a rasta looking MMJ supplement store?

 

[Chong_Irie]

I doubt rastas would want anything to with this..

 

[stink.whistler]

I doubt rastas would want anything to with this..

I do as well, but a certain demographic interested in MMJ supplementation would probably be attracted to a store with Bob Marley posters, Jamaican flags, etc...

Other demographics would feel more at home in a place showing bouncing lowrider videos and loud rap music.

Personally, I would frequent the MMJ supplement shop with the best buds at the lowest prices which didn't have people standing around with guns - regardless of what posters hung on the wall or what uniform the clerk selling me the product was wearing.

 

[Cojito]

I'm sure Mrs. Betty Lou, a senior citizen (who i just made up for an example) would without a DOUBT patronize such a dispensary and be sure to tell all of her other friends what a wonderful contribution to society this medical marijuana dispensary is, and how much better off her community will be as a result of this dispensary... (HA, hopefully you can see my sarcasm)

well, you're right. that generation thinks anyone in a white coat or nice suit is to be taken seriously.

but even if you dress up in a clean lab coat and keep a sterile shop, you're not very likely to convince Betty Lou and the girls at the church social to embrace MMJ. they're from a different generation and will not throw off their long-held beliefs so easily. they believe the propaganda. they vote for law and order candidates who work to keep MJ illegal. there are exceptions of course, but i don't think a store geared to this demographic will succeed.

maybe i'm wrong. and if i am, you should keep the MJ right next to the wart remover and Metamucil.

if the stores mentioned are as bad or as unprofessional as you all claim they will fail. and if a more clinical shop is what the public demands then it'll succeed. but tailoring a counterculture biz to senior citizens or folks who've never smoked MJ seems problematic.

 

[HeD333]

well, you're right. that generation thinks anyone in a white coat or nice suit is to be taken seriously.

but even if you dress up in a clean lab coat and keep a sterile shop, you're not very likely to convince Betty Lou and the girls at the church social to embrace MMJ. they're from a different generation and will not throw off their long-held beliefs so easily. they believe the propaganda. they vote for law and order candidates who work to keep MJ illegal. there are exceptions of course, but i don't think a store geared to this demographic will succeed.

maybe i'm wrong. and if i am, you should keep the MJ right next to the wart remover and Metamucil.

if the stores mentioned are as bad or as unprofessional as you all claim they will fail. and if a more clinical shop is what the public demands then it'll succeed. but tailoring a counterculture biz to senior citizens or folks who've never smoked MJ seems problematic.

Consider this-

It's the shotgun effect;
You may not get a huge percentage of seniors or other demographics who do not typically embrace mmj on the boat by changing the look of a dispensary, but as LW mentioned before you can be 100% sure that if it's full of thugs/BM posters/lawn furniture/pets on the couch/tip jars you will keep them from every chancing using the service. Personally, none of this bothers me (outside of the animals, as I'm allergic to a huge array of animals) and I myself would tolerate it, but I'm a 20-25 year old male, fresh out of graduate school, with liberal social views etc, etc: A dispensaries cookie-cutter target demographic.

I'm not saying it's wrong to cater a business to it's target demographic. I'm saying that you might land a wider target demographic by changing some of the aesthetics of your business, and I think that's the direction LW was taking this conversation. For the record I agree 100%.

 

[LiLWaynE]

well, you're right. that generation thinks anyone in a white coat or nice suit is to be taken seriously.

but even if you dress up in a clean lab coat and keep a sterile shop, you're not very likely to convince Betty Lou and the girls at the church social to embrace MMJ. they're from a different generation and will not throw off their long-held beliefs so easily. they believe the propaganda. they vote for law and order candidates who work to keep MJ illegal. there are exceptions of course, but i don't think a store geared to this demographic will succeed.

maybe i'm wrong. and if i am, you should keep the MJ right next to the wart remover and Metamucil.

if the stores mentioned are as bad or as unprofessional as you all claim they will fail. and if a more clinical shop is what the public demands then it'll succeed. but tailoring a counterculture biz to senior citizens or folks who've never smoked MJ seems problematic.

ok...

now look at a store such as walmart... they sell almost anything and everything under the sun... they cater to many demographics...

now take a second and think back about how walmart decorates their store... they decorate it in an unbiased, professional manner- not geared at ANY age group whatsoever...

you know how they attract people? PRICES!...

as i have heard others mention in this thread, as long as the price is right, they will go into ANY dispensary, whether its ghetto, or rasta, or hippy, or whatever...


it just goes to show that these people starting this dispensaries are not the sharpest tools in the shed, as they clearly think that the only way they will succeed, and attract customers, is if they decorate their dispensary in a certain manner that will attract a certain crowd...

In my opinion, they are just restricting themselves to a certain group by doing this... not only are they restricting themselves, but they are making the rest of the community look bad...

 

[Chong_Irie]

The current vibe is perfect for these shops "bread and butter" customers. Changing it might make it more welcoming to older people and non counter cultureish(couldn't think of a better word to describe the people) people but i doubt they'll bring in as much money as the previous.'


Edit: and how is Walmart able to offer those rock bottom prices?

 

[Cookie monster]

but tailoring a counterculture biz to senior citizens or folks who've never smoked MJ seems problematic.

Is that not the problem and the reason why this thread was started?
People viewing MMJ dispensarys as counter culture businesses rather than a place where patients can go to get something to help them with their ailments.

 

[LiLWaynE]

The current vibe is perfect for these shops "bread and butter" customers. Changing it might make it more welcoming to older people and non counter cultureish(couldn't think of a better word to describe the people) people but i doubt they'll bring in as much money as the previous.'


Edit: and how is Walmart able to offer those rock bottom prices?

how are they able to offer rock bottom prices you ask? THEY PLAYED THEIR CARDS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING! do you think if they turned people off, or presented themselves in an unattractive manner, that people would have supported them in the early years?

OHHHH NOOOOO, please don't welcome old and non-counter cultureish people? that would be HORRRRIBBLLEEEEEE!!!


why am i even responding to your post?

 

[Chong_Irie]

ha ha you are an odd fellow... I never said I, let me repeat that, I have a problem with any people that dont want to shop in a place that has a hip hop ( i actually dont care much about it) atmosphere or counter culture attitude. What I am saying is that, that demographic is not driving the market and never has or will.... I never said I agree with this, i am just stating what I see on a daily basis and what seems like common sense when you think about it.

 

[Tripsick]

Can you describe the perfect dispensary that is pleasant and professional? There doesn't seem to be any pics of this unicorn. what are those defining qualities?
What should they be modeled after a Pharmacy? Star Bucks? Record store? some guy in a van?
Do the pictures on the walls and the music playing make that big of a difference? This isn't suppose to appeal to anyone but the medical marijuana crowd that is able to make it to a retail store front.

 

[Gert Lush]

They don't need to file into a line to look alike, and for fuck's sake don't make it look like a pharmacy.

Totally agree.

In fact, I find it a bit curious, not to say anally retentive, that someone judges "professionalism" mainly on appearances.

A truly professional dispensary would
a) know what they are talking about
b) make sound recommendations
c) stock a good variety
d) make customers feel valued and appreciated

Do all the window-dressing you like (of whatever style), if those four criteria aren't met, it's bullshit.

A shop with drapes and Marley that knows what it's talking about is, oooh - er, about 1000x more professional than a "pharmacy" staffed with clueless idiots and 457 "different" varieties of Kush.

 

[superbolan]

Walmart offer those rock bottom prices, by using cheap products made by slave wage laborers, paying as little money as it can to employees, and effectively killing every mom and pop business in its area. Hardly the example of business to use as a model for anything.

 

[Cookie monster]

Do the pictures on the walls and the music playing make that big of a difference?

To the guys who pass the laws sadly it probably does.
From the outside looking in you guys need to realise that if dispensarys continue along this path then the feds will shut them down and you'll all be going to the pharmacy to buy marijuana based treatments manufactured by the pharma companys.

 

[ButteredIt]

Totally agree.

In fact, I find it a bit curious, not to say anally retentive, that someone judges "professionalism" mainly on appearances.

A truly professional dispensary would
a) know what they are talking about
b) make sound recommendations
c) stock a good variety
d) make customers feel valued and appreciated

Do all the window-dressing you like (of whatever style), if those four criteria aren't met, it's bullshit.

A shop with drapes and Marley that knows what it's talking about is, oooh - er, about 1000x more professional than a "pharmacy" staffed with clueless idiots and 457 "different" varieties of Kush.

But how are we to know they have quality services if we never enter the store because it's blasting bob marley and smells like nag champa?

Why do businessmen wear suits?