Minnesota's first non-tribal recreational marijuana dispensary now open in Duluth
The first recreational marijuana dispensary not owned by a tribe opened for business in Minnesota on Tuesday.
More than two years after recreational weed was signed into law, Legacy Cannabis in downtown Duluth is now open as the first non-tribal dispensary in the state.
Josh Wilken-Simon, who owns Legacy Cannabis, has been advocating for legal sales of recreational marijuana over the past several years.
"We are absolutely honored to be the first state-licensed recreational cannabis dispensary open in Minnesota," he said.
Partnerships with Minnesota tribal nations now allow licensed retailers to begin selling cannabis products on their shelves, giving customers more options.
"Our goal, of course, is to have as many high-quality small craft products for sale at our dispensary and hyper focus on making sure all the products are safe, that they're good quality and there's a big selection," Wilken-Simon said.
On Monday, the Office of Cannabis Management issued licenses allowing two medical cannabis providers to sell recreational marijuana: Green Goods and RISE.
RISE will begin adult-use cannabis sales on Wednesday. They're opening seven stores across the state, including locations in Brooklyn Park, New Hope and Eagan.
Legacy Cannabis will be opening its Twin Cities locations in the next few months.
"Just really excited to see small businesses really take a win here in Minnesota," Wilken-Simon said. "Like other small businesses that were waiting, this is our time and we're ready for it."