Washington State Just Got Greener

— by Lin McNulty —

The issuance of 24 marijuana retail licenses was announced today by the Washington State Liquor Control Board to shops with names such as The Happy Crop Shoppe in Wenatchee, New Vansterdam in Vancouver, Green Theory in Bellevue, and Bud Hut on Camano Island.

Tom Beckley, from Top Shelf Cannabis in Bellingham, says they are “expecting a shipment of product at 4 a.m. tomorrow.” They will then open their doors for business Tuesday July 8, at 8 a.m. with about 20 pounds of product on hand. 2020 Solutions, also in Bellingham, will be opening their doors at 8 a.m. tomorrow and, according to Aaron Nelson, they expect to initially have enough product for about 1,000 customers. “Yes, we’re excited,” says Nelson. “It’s a whole new world.”

Meanwhile, here on Orcas, hopeful retailer Theron Soderlund waits and continues to jump through bureaucratic hoops before being issued a license to sell the green bud at his proposed new business, Token Herb. “We have an inspection scheduled for later this week,” he says. “And then there will be computer upgrades and a week of software training; the state has set up a computerized system that tracks every step in the process “from seed to sale.”

When asked if he is assured of obtaining a retail license, Soderlund says he doesn’t take anything for granted, even though the process and preparation has already cost him between $18,000 — $20,000. There are no guarantees.

And then, he adds, if and when he becomes licensed, there are still no licensed growers on Orcas, “and who is going to want to bring their product here from the mainland?” And currently, there are no licensed kitchens anywhere to manufacture infused goodies. Those providing edibles to the medical marijuana pharmacies don’t seem to be applying to also provide recreational product.

Even if everything proceeds as quickly as possible, Soderlund is looking at at least 90 days before he opens his doors. Or maybe it will be a Christmas present.