Short lines, quick service on first day of recreational marijuana sales in Sauget
Jushi Holdings Inc. opened another Green Solutions dispensary in Sauget for the sale of adult-use cannabis earlier Monday morning.
The new dispensary, located at 2021 Goose Lake Road, is the second to begin adult-use sales to the metro-east since recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois on Jan. 1.
Anticipating the kind of demand that has brought crowds to the Illinois Supply & Provisions’ Collinsville dispensary, The Green Solution roped off lines and established overflow parking at surrounding sites, including GCS Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies minor-league baseball team.
By noon, however, customers filtered in and out of the store with the lines never extending beyond the building’s exit.
Jeff Adams, who was buying recreational for the first time in Illinois, said the lines were short inside as well. He was in and out of the dispensary in a few minutes, he said.
“I don’t think people really know about it,” Adams said. “That’s what we were talking about inside — I know there’s still two-hour lines at Collinsville.”
Adams said he and his friends had driven past the Collinsville location a few times, but didn’t stop to stand in line.
Illinois Supply & Provision began recreational sales Jan. 1, the first-day adult-use sales were legal in Illinois. Since January, lines have stretched outside of the building and often into the nearby streets. The wait is often more than an hour long.
In the first 31 days of legal sales of recreational cannabis in Illinois, roughly $39.2 million in sales were totaled, according to the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
The Green Solution received the OK to start sales in January, but representatives with the dispensary said there was still work to do before sales could actually start.
Sales will be open from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday, offering both medical and adult-use cannabis and cannabis products. The dispensary accepts cash only.
A statement from Jushi Holdings Inc, which owns The Green Solution, called Illinois an “attractive market” for recreational sales.
“Illinois represents a very attractive market for the Company, and by expanding our product offering to include adult-use cannabis products, we further solidify our position in this fast growing market,” said Jushi Holdings Chairman and CEO Jim Cacioppo through a statement. “We look forward to providing further announcements as we continue to strategically establish our footprint throughout the state.”
The statement also stated that the dispensary will change names later this year, transitioning to the company’s BEYOND/HELLO brand name.
The 8,000-square-foot Green Solution facility has been open since 2016, when it was licensed for medical cannabis sales.
Richard Melching Sr., a regular medical cannabis customer, said he didn’t know The Green Solution had gone recreational until he pulled into the parking lot with two of his friends Monday.
He said while it’s exciting for some, the news is bittersweet for patients like himself.
“I was kind of bumming,” he said. “I’m all for recreational but as a patient, it’s a big pain in our butt as far as product goes. Product just isn’t available and when it is they limit it to a certain amount.”
He said he and other medical cannabis users are struggling to find their product due to legalized recreational sales and he’s concerned that the supply can’t keep up with demand in both markets. Demand my level out once the excitement of legalization subsides, he added.