80 / 102
ELECTRIC
ALLEY
I
Is the “C” word spoken in your store? Have you asked
and answered the tough cannabis questions from a busi-
ness perspective?
Tobacco Business
talked to several retailers
who have.
Recently, these retailers discussed selling cannabis-re-
lated accessories, how best to merchandise the category,
venturing into cannabis as a side retail business and more
with
TB
. Compare your entrepreneurial thoughts to their
varied viewpoints.
ALONG THE “GREEN” PATH
Smoker Friendly, based in the highly touted cannabis state
of Colorado, has sold cannabis-related accessories for “a
number of years” and continues to expand its offerings
throughout the chain, according to Terry Gallagher, Jr.,
president. “We have a half-dozen co-branded stores as
Smoker Friendly and Glass Werx, and we have a Glass
Werx program in the vast majority of our corporate stores
(The Cigarette Store Corp.). In fact, we have a Glass Werx
program that we can help other operators implement if
they are not in the business in a big way, or at all. It is turn-
key, and really does not cause any brain damage in what
would be a new merchandise category for them.”
According to the category director for Glass Werx,
Tim Greene, the CBD category has spiked in the last six
months especially—not just in the vapor/oil form, but in
lotions, too. “We’ll see how regulation plays out, but it’s
definitely something that virtually every [Glass Werx] re-
tailer is carrying in-store.”
As far as cannabis itself, “the glass category is really big
for us—both imported and American glass, branded and
our own brands,” Greene adds. “It all sells like crazy right
now.” This includes higher-end glass items, although that
is not the focus in downtown metro-area stores.
[ 76 ]
TOBACCO BUSINESS
[
MAY
/
JUNE
|
17 ]
The
Cannabis
Conversations
TB
talks with tobacco, vapor and c-store retailers
about incorporating cannabis into the business.
BY RENÉE M. COVINO