Business owners report a financial strain due to the haitus and the hoops they had to go through to get back up and running.
Aug. 13, 2013 | 2 Comments
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Samantha McCoy, 21 of Yuma, chooses from 10 different strains of marijuana while shopping at A Kind Place, a despensary for medicinal marijuana patients at 938 N. College Ave. Friday August 9, 2013. / Rich Abrahamson/The Coloradoan
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Fort Collins medical-marijuana stores now open
Best Colorado Meds, 810 N. College Ave.
Infinite Wellness Center, 900 N. College Ave.
Kind Care of Colorado, 6617 S. College Ave.
A Kind Place, 938 N. College Ave.
Organic Alternatives, 346 E. Mountain Ave.
Solace Meds, 301 Smokey St.
Applications pending
Best Colorado Meds, 1240 W. Elizabeth St. Has been approved by licensing authority, but has not yet passed inspection.
Canna King, 5740 S. College Ave., Unit B. Under review by licensing authority.
Cannabis Care Wellness Center, 5740 S. College Ave., Unit C. Under review by licensing authority.
Dyl’s Place, 1104 Academy Court, Unit 4. Multiple issues, nowhere near ready to be transmitted to licensing authority.
Elite Organics, 804 S. College Ave., Suite C. Approved by authority; pending inspections.
Headquarters, 121 E. Swallow Road, No. 115. Multiple issues, nowhere near ready to be transmitted to licensing authority.
Natural Alternatives for Health, 6712 S. College Ave. Pending approval of site improvement plan; can be sent to authority following that approval.
Peace in Medicine Center, 1228-1232 W. Elizabeth St., Unit C1. Under review by authority.
People licensed to use medical marijuana
(Month; Larimer County …Colorado)
2013
January 4,914 …108,656
February 4,896 …108,951
March 4,813 …108,483
April 4,677 …107,262
May 4,591 …105,886
June 4,620 … 106,817
2012
January 4,886 …85,124
February 5,008 …89,646
March 5,067 …93,393
April 5,098 …96,709
May 5,076 …98,910
June 5,016 …99,960
July 4,984 …101,220
August 5,061 …104,138
September 5,186 …107,666
October 5,064 …108,481
November 4,846 …106,763
December 4,909 …108,526
2011
January 8,416 …118,895
February 8,447 …121,430
March 8,511 …123,890
April 8,530 … 126,005
May 8,508 …127,444
June 8,512 …128,698
July 8,204 …127,816
August 7,504 …121,476
September 6,022 …102,592
October 5,337 …88,872
November 4,811 …80,558
December 4,828 …82,089
2010
January 4,821 …53,038
February 5,852 …64,733
March 6,481 …75,209
April 6,935 …82,944
May 7,217 …88,900
June 7,536 …95,477
July 7,704 …99,902
August 7,868 …103,468
September 8,006 …106,653
October 8,133 …110,000
November 8,236 …113,577
December 8,334 …116,198
Source: Colorado Department of Health and Environment
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Related Links
Investigators search home, office of doctor in court for medical marijuana case
Data Chart: Medical Marijuana Licenses in Larimer County, Colorado
Map: Medical Marijuana Stores in Fort Collins
Medical marijuana stores are back in Fort Collins, with six opening across the city in recent weeks.
As many as 14 are slated to open after voters in the 2012 election overturned a ban on the stores. After going dark for more than a year, the businesses are working to restart grow operations and attract clients.
“I have to build it up from scratch again,” said Donald Cruinkshank, 51, owner of A Kind Place on North College Avenue.
He opened his doors July 30 after paying four to five months’ rent while waiting for the city’s approval process. But on opening day, there was no line of customers outside.
“No rush,” he said. “It’s been pretty slow.”
And the costs to get rolling stack up. Ken Correia, owner of Solace Meds on Smokey Street, estimates about $60,000 spent on rent, licensing and other costs.
“Major strains not only on business, but on my personal financial situation,” he said. “I don’t know how a lot of the guys got through it. It was definitely difficult.”
The number of Larimer County residents who can legally shop in the stores is down to nearly half of its peak, with about 4,620 licensed medical-marijuana patients now living here. That is supplemented in part by visiting medical-marijuana users from elsewhere in Colorado.
But medical-marijuana vendors getting in business now could be tapping a gold mine when recreational sales begin in Colorado next year. In communities allowing recreational stores, the state is giving medical-marijuana dispensaries a head start on serving recreational users. They can begin applying Oct. 1 to serve anyone 21 and older. Any other potential business owner has to wait until July 2014 to apply, according to state regulations.
Future hazy for recreational marijuana in Fort Collins
Fort Collins city leaders are assessing the options for recreational marijuana stores and are expected to postpone any from opening until after March 2014. Loveland, Windsor, Greeley and other nearby communities already have banned the stores. Elsewhere in Colorado, such businesses could open as soon as Jan. 1.
via 6 medical marijuana shops back in business in Fort Collins | The Coloradoan | coloradoan.com.
