Cannabis culture has evolved over the past few years. Dispensaries have gone from venues on the outskirts of town to stores that look like they could give the Apple Store a run for its money. While not every dispensary has evolved, hiring a team of designers or architects could easily ignite that change.
Here's why.
Cannabis Dispensaries will Benefit from Hiring Interior Designers
Society seems to have taken a more relaxed approach to cannabis as of late. After all, medical cannabis is available in roughly 30 states in the US and recreational cannabis is available in ten. Canada has also legalized cannabis entirely. So why, then, do cannabis companies (for the most part) continue to forget that their store's design is just as important as the products they sell? Some companies have clued into this, such as MedMen Enterprises (CSE:MMEN) (OTCQX:MMNFF), whose dispensaries look like the cannabis version of the Apple Store. Others, though, haven't and still sport the compressed display cases and poor layouts.
Now that cannabis is a respected, booming industry, companies and dispensaries need to start looking the part. With the surge in competition, 2019 might be the time to perfect production and shift their focus to design. And that's where designers and architects come into play.
According to interior designer Amy Morris, the cannabis industry has presented designers and architects with a unique opportunity. “Designers should be excited about helping this industry evolve," Morris said. "There is so much that cannabis dispensaries can learn from hospitality, from flow to menus, and by thinking this way they'll immediately realize the potential."
>> Tilray Stock Gains Slightly After Acquiring Smith & Sinclair
Comfortability is Key
It's important that individuals shopping at a cannabis dispensary feel comfortable. In the past, purchasing cannabis has felt like an awkward detour rather than a legitimate retail transaction. Interior designers can change this as they specialize in making people feel comfortable in their surroundings, which is ultimately good for the consumer, the industry, and the company. Look at The Botanist, which is an Acreage Holdings' (OTCQX:ACRGF) medical cannabis dispensary. Instead of branded window screens, The Botanist has an inviting setup, in addition to a Seed Bar, an area in the store that educates customers about the products. Speaking about The Botanist, Acreage Holdings' Claire Coppins said the following: “The whole point is to have a beautiful store that is a familiar retail experience, so it doesn’t feel intimidating." Coppins added: "Obviously, cannabis being so new, people are a little nervous to step into a dispensary for the first time. They have so many questions.”
Different Focuses
As attitudes about cannabis change financially and politically, the attitudes surrounding the culture must too. No more should cannabis dispensaries focus solely on the products; to keep up with the competition, cannabis dispensaries need to create a relaxed environment that reflects a legitimate retail operation. And interior designers are the ones to do that.
Featured image: PixaBay
