Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 J U N E 2 7 , 2 0 2 2 B U S I N E S S O F C A N N A B I S graffiti created on-site by Valentino Mikalef, owner and creative direc- tor of Queens, N.Y.-based Mural Art & Consulting. ere's also a 6-foot banana sculpture and monkey- inspired finishes and lighting. McBride's designs of cannabis dispensaries outside of Maine go back a number of years in places like California, Florida and Chicago. Like SeaWeed, common elements often include soft lighting and natural materials, a contrast to spots that were "kind of seedy looking and didn't feel safe," says Rush. e look at some dispensaries might have a clinical feel, which Rush describes as "really beigey and ferny." e vision at Grass Monkey included well-orchestrated street art that was humorous, colorful, memo- rable and repeatable for other loca- tions. Based on the monkey icon, "the first conversation we had with them, I sketched a big fiberglass banana," Rush recalls. "We landed on that idea and then hired prominent street taggers from around the country to come in and create art." e space was designed to be both fun and to invite dialogue with the clerks. Regulatory requirements Rules governing dispensary set-ups vary by state. "We've had to get up to speed really quickly with the differences in every state's legal requirements," Rush says. "With Grass Monkey, it was required by the state that they have a segre- gated entry vestibule with a check-in desk. You have to show proof of age, of course. You come in and show your ID. ey put your name in the system. en someone calls you to the sales floor. at happens in a lot of states. A lot of states also might or might not require the entry vestibule." Checklists unique to each state include considerations such as counter heights and number of customers in the store. For cannabis storage, there must be a safe room, an individually keyed holding room. Generally, the goal is to create a pleasant and engaging experience that brings repeat business — as with any retailer. "Different states require different design solutions," Rush says. "ere's nothing magical, other than the lockable room and security systems. Other than that, there's a break space, an office space and storage — all the normal things you'd expect." Hard to parse Still, the industry's unfolding rule- making process can impact the design process. at was the case at SeaWeed. "We had to constantly revise plans for the interior layout," says Heinrici. "Adult use marijuana was voted to be legal in 2016. In 2020, we opened our doors. In the interim, the changes in wording and guidance were really hard to parse. And we wanted to be the first to open. To do so meant we couldn't wait as everything was worked out. We were building as things were incorporated into the law." at sometimes meant making changes on the fly. For example, the original design included freestanding, glass-topped display tables. A rein- terpretation of the law required that cannabis products be displayed behind a screened area. "As a designer myself, you can look at these constraints as frustrating or as an opportunity," Heinrici says. He chose the latter. "Now the tables contain non-marijuana goods, like crafts by local artisans, and our own branded merchan- dise, like hats." Overall, SeaWeed's design is meant to grab the attention of someone who's sensitive to aesthetics and who wants to be treated with care. "We assumed it would attract that type of customer and it does," says Heinrici. "When you stand in our store, you might see a woman in a fancy outfit and a metal worker in overalls and an elderly couple who's there to get a CBD tincture. It's blown us away how broad the customer spectrum is." Laurie Schreiber, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at lschreiber @ mainebiz.biz The McBride Co.'s design approach for Grass Monkey Cannabis Co.'s dispensary in South Portland was to create something of an art gallery experience. A lot of people who take the effort to hire an architectural designer to do their dispensary design have enough business savvy to realize how important that is. — Johnnie Rush McBride Co. F O C U S P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y O F S C O T T M A C L I N

• Cover