PORT TOWNSEND — Nearly 10 months after the North Olympic Peninsula’s first recreational marijuana store opened in Discovery Bay, Port Townsend will get its first retail pot shop in May.
“I wasn’t too interested in opening when everyone else was starting and selling $25 and $30 grams,” said store owner Gracen Hook, who initially projected opening in the fall.
“In the beginning, there were extreme price fluctuations and product droughts. I wanted to open a strong retail spot.
“Now that the tourist season is gearing up, this is a good time to start.”
Hook, 24, said the store will be called Peninsula Herbal to start, but that the title could change.
He said the business would open around the time of the Rhododendron Festival, which takes place from May 11 to May 16.
The store, located at 2123 W. Sims Way, was occupied by the Olympic Trading Post for two years, and prior to that, McClane’s Cafe.
Hook doesn’t plan to use the entire building at first. Cannabis sales will be confined to a single room in the center of the building.
This opens the possibility of installing another business such as a cafe or a T-shirt shop in the front of the building, which is allowable as long as each business has a separate entrance.
Hook is also exploring options for the second floor, which was previously used as an apartment.
Aside from the desire to wait until the prices decreased, the delay occurred because Hook was looking for the right location.
He initially planned to operate out of 1433 West Sims Way, where he has operated a the Alternative Clinic medical marijuana shop for two years, but that changed when property across the street was designated as a park, triggering the 1,000-foot buffer from where children congregate required by state law.
Hook plans to operate both his businesses concurrently. He hopes to keep the retail price down to $11 to $18 per gram, while the medical pot, which requires a doctor’s authorization to purchase, could be around $8, he said.
Greg Brotherton, who opened the North Olympic Peninsula’s first retail pot shop with Sea Change Cannabis at 282332 U.S. Highway 101 in Discovery Bay in July, said he welcomed Hook to the business.
“I wish him the best of luck,” Brotherton said.
“There is room for as many stores as we can get in the county.”
By law, Jefferson County is allowed four retail outlets under Initiative 502: one in Port Townsend and three in the unincorporated areas.
Aside from Brotherton, Herbal Access Retail has operated at 661 Ness Corner Road in Port Hadlock.
The county is allowed one additional outlet, but no other licenses have yet been awarded.
Hook said he doesn’t have any solid business expectations aside from a “wild projection” to draw between 70,000 and 100,000 customers a year, spending an average of $40.
The gross sales numbers of retail marijuana shops are public record.
Sea Change reported gross sales of $137,072 in March and $740,531 since opening on July 25.
Herbal Access Retail’s sales are substantially lower, with $36,197 in March sales and $117,518 since its opening.
Hook also owns and operates the Alternative Clinic’s second location at 215 W. Patison St. in Port Hadlock.
“The idea is to provide quality product on a consistent basis for a reasonable price,” he said.
“It’s classic retail.”
Prior to opening up his stores, he was a grower for medical pot outlets where he learned about different strains.
“If you are a wine seller, you should have a knowledge about how wine is produced,” he said.
“If I hadn’t been a grower, I wouldn’t be as good at retail. Someone can bring in a product, and I can tell them why I don’t like it rather than just sending them away.”
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.