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The event began with several guest speakers
including representatives from the city of Lincoln, the Mayor of
Harristown where the Mystic Greenz flagship business opened in July,
LEAD and two of the three owners of the business. After the
speeches, which were held under the food tent, the group moved to
the front door of the building for the official ribbon cutting.
The morning began at 9:30 a.m. and word of the grand opening had
gotten out in the community. Potential shoppers were lining up at
the door, even though the business would not officially open until
10 a.m.
The business is highly regulated by the Illinois State Police and
the Illinois Cannabis Board. There are strict rules that must be
adhered to, including a multi-level security clearance with before
being allowed to enter the retail area. The retail area itself has
empty containers on display and shoppers go to the “bar” to order
the products they wish to purchase. Before they can receive that
product, the buyers go through a third security check including
showing identification to prove they are 21 years of age or older.
For all these reasons, the doors cannot be opened
early, and shoppers cannot just walk in and walk out as they please.
As the line grew waiting for the front door to open, speakers took
their turns welcoming the new business to Lincoln and talking about
the efforts that had gone into making it so.
The first to speak were two Lincoln alderman who had supported
motions in the city council that ultimately made it possible for the
dispensary to come to Lincoln.
Alderman Sam Downs spoke first, welcoming the Mystic
Greenz to the community. He spoke briefly about supporting the
motions to allow Cannabis in Lincoln and expressed his support for
the new business.
Alderman Kevin Bateman spoke next, recalling that the
process to permit Cannabis sales had been a four-year effort. He
noted that he had supported bringing the dispensary to Lincoln and
felt that the economic impact it would have on the city would be
highly beneficial.
Bateman spoke about the time and effort the city had put into the
project, looking at how and where the businesses could be brought
into the city.
Next to speak was Wes Woodhall, the city’s building
and safety officer. He had worked extensively with the owners to
renovate the old Pizza Hut restaurant into a ideal retail space.
Woodhall said that the owners had been great to work with and that
there had been a lot to accomplish due to state regulations. He
appreciated the work everyone had done to bring the dispensary to
town.
Evelyn Deverell is the Mayor of Harristown. She had
come to the ribbon cutting in Lincoln to show support for the owners
in their new venture. Owner Krishna Balakrishnan had asked that
Deverell say a few words.
Prior to the ceremony, Deverell had shared that Harristown is a tiny
community on the outskirts of Decatur. The city of Decatur had
decided it would not want Cannabis Dispensaries within the city
limits, so Harristown and picked it up and ran with it, welcoming
Cannabis based businesses.
On Friday morning she said that the town had no regrets. The owners
had been exceptional business partners with the town and had been
wonderful to work with in all ways. She noted that they had opened
in July and have become a part of the community. She wished them
much success in the Lincoln store.
Andrea Runge with the Lincoln Economic Advancement
and Development group spoke next. Runge had been the first point of
contact for the owners when they were looking to come to Lincoln.
She said she had excited to assist the owners in this business
venture. She noted it was another vacant building in the city now
turned into a viable business. She said it would be good to build
the commerce on the west side of the city and she wished them all
the best.
Runge also noted the efforts it takes to get into the building. She
noted the security and said that it was a testament to the community
to the safety of the facility in Lincoln.
She noted that in the development of the premises, the owners had
utilized local businesses and she thanked them for doing so.
Next was Lincoln Mayor Tracy Welch. He said that many
good points had been made during the previous speeches and he had
only a few short notes to add. He recalled that four years prior
when the topic of legalized Cannabis came to the city council, he
had been the Ward One Alderman. He said he supported it then, as he
supports it now. He added that there had been a lot of work and he
felt the city governance had provided the right doorway for the
business while keeping the safety of the community in mind. He said
that the city will benefit from the new business. He noted the long
line of people waiting for the doors to open, and said it was an
indication of the desire of the community for such a business.
The next person to speak was Tiffany Jackson, one of
the three partners in the business. She thanked the community and
the city for welcoming the business and making the owners feel
comfortable in their decision to come to Lincoln. She then
introduced Balakrishnan.
Krishna Balakrishnan is the second of the three
owners; the third owner Shankar Romakrishnan was unable to attend on
Friday.
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Balakrishnan said that he too was excited about
coming to Lincoln, and he was excited about the warm reception and
the open mindedness of the Lincoln officials.
He said he appreciated the efforts of all those who had assisted in
bringing the business into town.
He said as a responsible business owner, dealing with a delicate and
sometimes controversial product, it was his job and the job of the
partners and staff to not only sell the product, but educate the
community on the product. He said that
Cannabis now is like the liquor of the prohibition era. He said that
while alcohol went through a period when it was outlawed, so had
Cannabis. But when prohibition was lifted it opened the doors for
many changes in the industry. He said today, craft breweries and
boutique wines are commonplace. He predicted that Cannabis would go
the same route, evolving until it is as commonplace as those
designer alcohol products.
VIDEO
With speakers finished for the morning, the group moved to the front
door where Lincoln Daily News led the ribbon cutting activity.
Earlier in the week, Balakrishnan and Romakrishnan met with Lincoln
Daily News to discuss the new business. Mystic Greenz in Lincoln
employees 16 people, all of whom have gone through extensive
background checks with the state of Illinois to qualify for
employment. The facility manager is Rita Whyles, who is local to
Lincoln.
Balakrishnan said that they hired local for the business. They had
more than 200 applicants for the 16 available positions.
Romakrishnan and Balakrishnan agreed that there has
been a lot of education involved in opening businesses. They said
that dispensaries are just now opening across the state, and the
process is new to everyone. They learned a great deal when they
opened the Harristown store and are still learning as they go.
Selling Cannabis products is not nearly as easy or as cut and dried
as selling groceries or even healthcare products.
To be permitted to sell cannabis in Illinois, there are strict rules
that must be adhered to. Balakrishnan said that he and his partners
had to jump through a lot of hoops and wade through a lot of red
tape to get the right to sell product in the state of Illinois. He
said that fortunately there was a great deal of work done on the
part of the state to assure economic equity in the state. He said in
order to be a part of the application process the first rules were
that the owners had to be residents of Illinois. There had to be
economic disparity in the population, indicating that the new
business would generate jobs and increase economic stability. He
said that all three of the owners are Illinois residents, and that
Jackson is a veteran which also weighed well in their application to
sell Cannabis.
Once the three people had passed those inspections, then there were
the terms and conditions of the business practice. The building had
to be, to quote Balakrishnan “as secure as Fort Knox.”
At the dispensary, the first set of doors are the only ones that are
unlocked during normal business hours. Visitors enter the front
doors, where they are greeted by two security guards. Those two will
permit entry into the second security check only if the guest
appears to be age 21 or older. They have the right to check
identification before the guest is allowed into the second room.
In the second room, the guest is greeted by a third person, who will
ask if they are in the building as a shopper or a guest. If they are
a guest, they are signed in and given a badge indicating such. As a
guest, the person cannot purchase any product. If the guest changes
to a buyer during the visit, then they must register as such before
they can place an order. This registration includes identification
that is recorded by the front desk of Mystic Greenz.
As a buyer, the guest may shop the different products in the display
cases, knowing that all the containers on display are empty. Once a
selection is made, the buyer goes to the bar and places an order.
The buyer must once again show identification before a bartender
goes to the back secure storage area to retrieve the product
ordered.
Balakrishnan said that there are 50 security cameras strategically
placed in the 2,000 square foot building. The two guards at the
front door monitor all the cameras, and so does the State Police. He
said that the ISP is paying close attention to what is going on in
dispensaries. Even if the local guards and staff appear comfortable
with an ongoing transaction, if the ISP is not, they will call
Mystic Greenz immediately and ask staff to verify the actions that
are taking place during the transaction.
When the product is sold, the packaging is sealed and may not be
opened while on the premises. Once the buyer is off premises, when
and how the product is opened and consumed is dependent on state and
local laws pertaining to the regulation of cannabis. Balakrishnan
said this is no different than alcohol or tobacco consumption laws.
Buyers need to be aware of what those laws are and adhere to the law
in order to participate in recreational cannabis products without
consequence.
Balakrishnan said that there are also some public misconceptions
about the use of recreational cannabis. He said those who believe
that consumers will get “high” on cannabis are mistaken. The product
is historically a relaxation aid. He said that consumers will not by
hyperactive, but rather will become more laid back, less stressed
and less excitable.
The Lincoln business is registered as for recreational use
consumers. But Balakrishnan said the store does offer discounts for
those who consume the product for medical reasons. He said buyers
can expect a 15 percent discount when they bring in their physician
ordered medical card. The buyer will go through the same security
process but will present the card throughout the process to show
that they are purchasing under a doctor’s recommendation.
The medical benefits of Cannabis have been studied by various
research groups including those involved in cancer research. Because
Cannabis is a relaxant, it is also a pain extinguisher. The use of
cannabis products has been proven to have positive benefits for
those who are suffering from the pain, anxiety and nausea associated
with chemotherapy.
Balakrishnan said that during the process of bringing Mystic Greenz
to Lincoln, he was very impressed with the willingness of the city
to assist. He said that he appreciated all that had been done by
Runge with LEAD as well as Woodhall with the city.
Balakrishnan feels that a big part of the responsibility he and his
fellow owners have is to educate the community on Cannabis, and to
integrate themselves into the community as supportive, good
citizens, with the best interests of the city at heart.
[Nila Smith]
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