It makes Josh Genderson cringe to describe his soon-to-open cannabis dispensary, Liberty, like an Apple store.
And yet, it’s hard not to make the comparison in the Rockville showroom, from its bright recessed lighting beaming off pure white walls and light wood accents to its rows of display cases where “cannabis guides” will soon help guests purchase their selections from iPads.
The medical marijuana industry has worked nationwide to rebrand its primary product, and new dispensaries such as Genderson’s show that effort has come to Maryland. In the first few months of Maryland’s fledgling marijuana retail market, industry players say they are surprising customers with their polished branding and clinical feel at the state’s first permitted public facilities.
The target audience? Not whom you think. “It’s soccer moms and CEOs,” said Genderson, founder, president and CEO of Holistic Industries, the company that runs Liberty.
As the Baltimore Business Journal reported, the costs associated with opening a dispensary in Maryland are high, including a $4,000 application fee and an $80,000 licensing fee, which must be renewed every other year. Add on an estimated $500,000 for initial buildout, from security requirements to startup costs.
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