Here’s what to expect when you visit Belleville’s first cannabis dispensary
After a week-long soft opening, the cannabis dispensary, Mystic Greenz, officially opened its doors at 360 S. Green Mount Road in Belleville.
Store manager and lifelong Belleville resident Tabitha Brinkman said the company has been trying for a while to open a dispensary here.
Belleville residents were driving to Collinsville and Sauget for product, she said, adding that there are a lot of options – for good times, for pain and for other needs.
A wide range of products are available and come in different forms – flowers, vapes, edibles, topicals, pre-rolls and concentrates – and in varying strengths. Brands on offer include Cresco Labs, High Supply, Remedi, Avexia, Verano and multiple others.
Cannabis use has multiple health benefits. Medical marijuana is known to ease nausea caused by chemotherapy or ease severe or chronic pain. It can also be used to help reduce anxiety or ease symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic website.
I admit, there’s a lot of information to absorb, and I went in with minimal knowledge about cannabis products. I may go back to learn more about the topical options for pain, as Brinkman said she’s happy to answer questions as well as help find a product to best fit a customer’s needs.
For Brinkman, educating the public on the benefits of cannabis is important.
“It’s all about lifting the stigma” surrounding cannabis, she said, adding that it’s better than going to a bar. “No hangover,” she said.
She makes a good point.
What to expect
When visiting the new facility, each customer will be greeted by a member of the security team, who will guide them to an office for ID verification. The ID is scanned to verify that client’s age and that the ID is valid, according to Bre Hines, budtender and receptionist.
Hines said they also take ID in-hand to further verify it’s not fake. They check for in-state versus out-of-state IDs. (Illinois state regulations have different possession limits for Illinois residents versus non-Illinois residents.)
If desired, the receptionist will enter the client’s info into their system for future reference. An ID will still be needed for every visit.
Once an ID is verified, the customer is buzzed into the space that once served as a bank lobby. The former bank set-up seems to work well for customer flow. The old teller stations are great for meeting and consulting with budtenders and placing orders.
Limited numbers of people are permitted in each part of the business. So depending on the number of customers on site at the time, there could be a short wait for either the ID check-in station or main lobby.
Some products as well as informational brochures and flyers are displayed throughout the lobby.
Another office off the lobby houses two kiosks where customers can look at the inventory and place orders to be picked up rather quickly. This is essentially online ordering for in-store pick-up. Online orders can be placed off-site too.
The room also has two ATMs. At this time, the business is cash only.
A first for Belleville
While Mystic Greenz-Belleville is the business’ fourth location in Illinois, it is the first dispensary to open in Belleville.
Economic Development, Planning & Zoning Director Cliff Cross was present at the Nov. 1 grand opening and believes the business will do well here.
Cross said that the dispensary represents a “significant amount of revenue” for the city that could be in the neighborhood of $150,000 to $200,000 a year.
An ordinance passed in 2019 allows the city to collect a 3% sales tax from dispensary sales on top of the regular 8.1% sales tax.
Cross said it took about about eight months for Mystic Greenz to open, longer with its acquisition, which started around the end of 2023.
Mystic Greenz co-owner Krishna Balakrishnan said it was wonderful working with Cross and the city and is looking forward to being a part of Belleville.
The business is “all about being part of the community” and to support the community, said Balakrishnan.
“I hope we do the right thing” for the people here, he said.
As a veteran-owned business in a community with a large number of former and active service members, co-owner Tiffany Jackson said they’re “happy to give back a little bit.”
“We’re excited to be the first dispensary here,” she said. “We can’t wait to get started.”
In May 2022, the council approved plans to open a dispensary at 7300 Twin Pyramid Parkway, off of Illinois 15, in Belleville.
In August 2022, Belleville City Council approved the addition of its second dispensary to be located at the Green Mount Road site.
However, the entity applying for the Green Mount Road dispensary changed over time, from Emerald Coast LLC to High Haven Dispensary LLC to Mystic Greenz-Belleville, according to city documents.
St. Clair County tax records show that in April 2024, the property was sold to Infinitas-Belleville LLC. Balakrishnan is listed as the registered agent on the Illinois Secretary of State website.
About Mystic Greenz
Mystic Greenz is located at 360 S. Green Mount Road in Belleville. Other Illinois locations include Decatur, Lincoln and Olive Branch.
Hours of operation in Belleville are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.
For more information or to place an order, visit mysticgreenz.com. Learn more by calling 618-825-9280 or following the business on Facebook.
