Worcester Business Journal

8 Worcester Business Journal | October 14, 2024 | wbjournal.com In a struggling industry, the St. Onge family opens an 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' dispensary Cannabis Wonderland BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Staff Writer A er years of working toward opening its doors, Millbury-based cannabis dispensary Wonderland Cannabis Co. is now open, as the family behind the business hopes the store will offer consumers an alter- native to corporate-owned cannabis companies. e business, located at 11 McCrack- en Road, was co-founded by Carol St. Onge, a retired special education teacher in Clinton, and Michael St. Onge, Carol's husband and a retired Hewlett-Packard tech worker. Based on Cape Cod since they decid- ed to stay put in their summer home in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple have made countless long drives over the last few years to Mill- bury to get the dispensary operational. Wonderland held its grand opening on Sept. 14, the culmination of four years spent developing a business plan, renovating its leased building, and try- ing to navigate the myriad of approvals needed at the state and local level to open a cannabis business. Looking back at all the roadblocks the company encountered, which included challenges with the Millbury Planning Board and months of paying for rent and employees while awaiting final state approval to open, there were moments of doubt, said Carol St. Onge. "ere were times where we threw up our hands and said, 'Maybe this isn't a good idea,'" she said. "We've had our issues, but we had our grand opening, and people came. We love to see their first reactions when they walk in." ose first reactions are caused by Wonderland's decor. Cannabis compa- nies backed by big business aim for a dispensary design giving off the vibes of an Apple Store, but Wonderland opted for a more whimsical approach, with a store aesthetic inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Won- derland." Puffy clouds hang from the ceiling, blending in with the store's spray-foam ceiling, as a giant mural of e Hatter from Carroll's classic novel graces the wall. Carol and Michael's adult chil- dren both work for the company, and turning the location from a former auto garage into a modern dispensary was a team effort. "My son and his wife spent their first anniversary putting the floor down. We spent many a nights painting, building point-of-sale stations, and putting up the monitors," said Carol St. Onge. "Even our employees that aren't mem- bers of our family are now members of our family, because no matter what we ask them, they're right there to do whatever it takes to make this success- ful." e homegrown touches are evident across Wonderland's storefront. Instead of commercial cabinets and displays, Wonderland's sales floor features antique cabinets collected from various roadsides and shops before being restored by Michael's sister. e murals, water display, and other decorations were all created either by family and friends or locally-rooted artists. e St. Onges poured their life savings into opening their business, joking their children were going to have to work for their inheritance. ey are hoping their wager on consumer's appreciation for being able to shop local will eventually pay dividends, although they are aware of the challenges facing the cannabis industry in Massachusetts, where companies are closing and facing lawsuits over unpaid bills as falling prices and increasing competition are putting a squeeze on businesses. Some businesses are still planning and opening new retail stores, includ- PHOTOS | ERIC CASEY Michael and Carol St. Onge poured their life savings into opening a cannabis dispensary in Millbury.

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