Green Arrow becomes latest addition to Gaylord's marijuana economy
GAYLORD — Another retail marijuana outlet has opened in Gaylord as Green Arrow on West Main Street began operations in a former Ponderosa restaurant building.
Green Arrow is part of the Rize cannabis company, which has stores in Iron Mountain and Marquette. The company's special use permit approved by the city council last year included a provision that it adopt a different name from the Rize moniker it uses on its other outlets.
The stipulation came after a local group called Rise, which advocates a substance-free lifestyle for youth, objected to the Rize name for the dispensary.
"The green arrow has been our logo since we first started the company in the U.P.," said Michelle Willes, training manager. "(The arrow) points right to the actual facility and Green Arrow will be a lower Michigan Rize."
Gaylord is the company's first store in the Lower Peninsula. Willes said Rize also has a cultivation facility in Iron Mountain and plans to open a store in Ironwood sometime this summer.
Erik Varga is the store manager in Gaylord and he said the facility has 13 full-time employees. Wages begin at $15 an hour for cannabis consultants.
"We have close to 750 products in our store," Varga said. "We offer just about everything from edibles to oils, the actual flowers, waxes and live resins."
Consumer knowledge about marijuana and the byproducts varies. Varga said the consultants at Green Arrow possess the knowledge to guide customers through the process.
"We are not doctors. If a doctor has recommended (marijuana or a byproduct) to them we can start consulting. We see cannabis as a supplement for possible symptoms they might have. We do not provide any medical advice — that is not our job," said Varga.
"If someone has asthma we probably won't recommend something you have to inhale. (Instead) we will probably point you toward an edible," he added.
Willes said since Rize is a Michigan company it emphasizes products made in the state. Noble Road and Redemption Cannabis of Lansing along with TreeTown from Ann Arbor are some of the state brands in the store.
There are over 20 applications to operate a retail dispensary in Gaylord. Even if only half of those open, the city could be one of the most competitive markets in the state. How will Green Arrow stand out?
"We offer a wide range of products and our selection is (above) most other dispensaries," Willes said. "Our cannabis consultants go through extensive educational (training) so they are informed and knowledgeable."
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Green Arrow becomes latest addition to Gaylord's marijuana economy
