Cannabis stores now open in southeast Winnipeg

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This article was published 23/10/2018 (2800 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hundreds of Winnipeggers became part of history on Oct. 17, when recreational cannabis became legal to buy in Canada.

And two new southeast Winnipeg cannabis retailers witnessed lineups throughout the day as countless community members took the opportunity to shop for some pot.

At Delta 9 Cannabis, located at 1-827 Dakota St. in St. Vital, people braved the frigid morning temperatures and a long lineup had formed by the time the store opened its doors at 10 a.m.

Minutes later, Matthew Dahl emerged as one of the first customers in Winnipeg to buy recreational marijuana in the post-Prohibition age. Clutching a brown paper bag containing his purchases — an amount of the Keats and Galliano varieties — Dahl told reporters he was going home to enjoy it, as he had the day off.

“It was easy,” Dahl said. “I was in and out in two minutes. I said give me one of those and one of those.”

Gary Symons, director of communications for Delta 9 Cannabis, said the role of the store in the community is not only to sell cannabis products, but also to educate consumers.

“It’s a centre for retail and education, and we’re going to have an education centre at the back of the store,” Symons told The Lance a day before the store opened its doors.

“We want people to learn more about cannabis and if it’s safe for them, as we don’t want people driving after they take it, or taking something that’s too strong for them,” he added, noting the store sells both cannabis and cannabis accessories, such as T-shirts, hats, grinders and rolling papers.

Symons said that prospective buyers will need to show ID, and that staff have been vigilantly trained to enforce the rules set out by federal legislation: “Every employee has received specialized training. Also, by opening the store, we’re creating significant employment in the area.”  

He also noted the characteristics between the different types of cannabis.

“For example, an indica is typically very relaxing, and helps people sleep and unwind, whereas a sativa is typically livelier, and helps people tap into their creative side, and is more likely to increase their sociability.”

Symons said the store will be a good addition to the community, not least because of its location.

“It’s in a very nice community with great parking, and great traffic flow. It’s an extremely handy location for people, and there’s also a liquor store nearby, so people can pick up different things at the same time.”

At Tokyo Smoke, located at 55B Goulet St. in St. Boniface, there was also a lineup throughout the day. Inside, Tokyo Smoke’s vice-president of retail, Lacey Norton, said the company is happy to be setting up shop in the community.  

“We’re really excited to be here,” Norton said. “It’s a great neighbourhood, and a great community, and we’re really happy to be here.”

“We’ve created an approachable and friendly environment with educated specialists on the floor to help our customers find products that are suitable for their needs. We’ll be holding community events on a regular basis to inform and educate.”

Norton emphasized the welcoming nature of staff at the store, and said the new era of cannabis availability means a number of propsective visitors to the store who might have previously been “interested in the product, but might feel like they don’t belong” should now feel more comfortable and at ease.

“People will be able to come here and have a sense of belonging, no matter who they are. We’re excited to be here,” she said.   

Other Winnipeg cannabis retailers include Tokyo Smoke at 54-70 Arthur St.; Tweed at 120 Osborne St.; Tweed at 1592 Regent Ave.; and Meta Cannabis Supply Co. at 23-584 Pembina Hwy.