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These 5 Edmonton cannabis stores stand out among the dozens

Author of the article: Doug Johnson

Publishing date:Sep 29, 2020
Last Updated 4 hours ago
3 minute read

https://edmontonjournal.com/cannabis/cannabis-business/these-5-edmonton-cannabis-stores-stand-out-among-the-dozens

Cannabis stores have spread rapidly across Edmonton since legalization in 2018, bringing the total to 93 shops, according to the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

With all these options in a metro area of around one million people, it can be difficult for stores to stand out, said John Carle, executive director of the Alberta Cannabis Council, an industry group.

“It’s still a young industry, so I don’t think we’ve seen every possible model of cannabis shop,” he said.

At a basic level, successful retailers — including those selling cannabis — tend to have a desirable product offered in an environment that draws people in.

But, according to Carle, smaller stores may lack the resources to set up elaborately designed interiors.

“I think that the small mom-and-pop pot shops really do have the opportunity to take the personal, customer service to a whole new level,” he said.

Here are five stores around Edmonton that have consistently positive online customer reviews on places like Google and Weedmaps and are otherwise well regarded by pot aficionados.

Fire and Flower Cannabis Co. Rice Howard Way

Located in the core of downtown Edmonton, this location, at 10141 100a St., serves a diverse crowd, said Isaac Watson, Fire and Flower’s vice president of operations. It’s a small, but efficient space, around 1,500 square feet, but it stocks a hearty line of goods. The location regularly serves people working or living downtown, and people who want to enjoy the restaurants, events and natural spaces (where permitted), Watson said.

Strainbows Cannabis

Located just northwest of downtown at 10573 114 St., Strainbows Cannabis‘ yellow storefront offers a pop of colour into an otherwise fairly beige road. Inside, the shop is equally vibrant, with multicoloured lights playing off a clean white surface.

The business’s website offers a blog where new-comers can learn some of the finer points of cannabis consumption and science. The store’s staff are also incredibly knowledgeable about the topic, and the store is itself proud to be a local business. Strainbows also comes well-reviewed on sites like Google, Leafly and Weedmaps.

NUMO Cannabis – Oliver

Last Canada Day, NUMO opened its Oliver location at 10235 124 St. and new customers were greeted by what company founder Daniel Nguyen calls the “infinity forest.” The entryway to the shop — which has two sister shops around town — is an art installation, created by Vignettes, a local art and design group.

The installation uses real birch trees and other plants and mirrors on all four walls to create a trippy experience before customers enter the store proper. “Cannabis is a plant grown like any other,” he said. “[The infinity forest] is a space for people to step back into nature.”

Plantlife Cannabis

The Plantlife Cannabis shop in Edmonton’s Jagare Ridge neighbourhood, 14130 28 Avenue SW, is among the most southerly dispensaries in town — losing only to a Nova Cannabis shop. The Albertan business offers daily specials on different products. Its website hosts a wealth of knowledge on the basics of cannabis and tips for identifying quality bud.

The Ganja Hut

The Ganja Hut opened a little over a year ago, and operates out of a small, 875-foot-square shop in an industrial area in Edmonton’s southeast, C-7507 50 St. According to Raj Sharma, the store’s owner, the Ganja Hut has put more emphasis on service, progressive hiring policies and product knowledge — knowing about the products themselves, but also their subjective effects on consumers.

“So they don’t have to look at a book. They just know all those things,” he said.

The small space the Ganja Hut operates out of also comes with a lower rent, which has helped him keep all his employees on throughout the pandemic — with the help of the federal wage subsidy, he said.