ARLINGTON – Supplies are already running low at Cascade Kropz, the first and only legal recreational marijuana retailer in Snohomish County.
The business opened at 11 a.m. Sunday with 4 ½ pounds of marijuana. By Monday afternoon, the business was down to less than a pound.
A menu on the wall lists different varieties of marijuana. Most had ‘sold out’ stickers next to them.
“I don’t think we’re going to have the product by the weekend,” said Lisa Kihm, who co-owns the business with her son, Brad.
Cascade Kropz at 19129 Smokey Point Blvd. sits at the end of a gravel driveway. To steer customers to the site, the Kihms put up a green flag and several green balloons blowing in the breeze.
It was one of 25 recreational marijuana retailers to receive licenses last week, the first round of what is expected to be about 300 stores statewide.
For the opening day crowd, the Kihms put out a mini-pool filled with ice and bottles of water for people waiting in line.
“Our first person was here at 7 a.m.,” Lisa Kihm said. “He had a Seahawks sling chair on the balcony, music was going on, it was a great experience.
Dozens lined up for the opening. The Kihms limited the amount of marijuana for purchase to 1 gram on the first day.
“We didn’t want to run out with everybody sitting out in the sun,” Lisa Kihm said.
The store is through a set of double doors. A plexiglass window allows the clerks to see people coming inside. Rugs sit over new tiles in the business. Walls are painted with bright, soothing colors.
On Monday afternoon, a constant stream of customers walked through the doors. One tanned woman was recognized as a repeat customer.
When she bought a marijuana pipe that she said looked like it had San Francisco 49ers colors, the clerk joked that she had to pay double.
Two display cases show off bongs, pipes and other paraphernalia including a gas mask with a bong attached for sale for $44.
“There as a guy staring at that for 30 minutes – just get it you know you want it,” said one of the workers who didn’t want to give his name because his second employer doesn’t know he works at the pot store.
Lisa Kihm said they were meeting with an Arlington glassblower to buy more marijuana pipes and bongs.
“If we can get local artisans in here definitely, we want to do it,” Lisa Kihm said.
She said they purchased their pot from Sea of Green Farms, a producer in Seattle. She said they could only get 4 ½ pounds initially. They’ve already ordered for the next harvest in August and can only get 2 more pounds of the product.
She said that she expects the supply and demand problems to ease by September. Looking at all of the people walking through her doors, Lisa Kihm shook her head.
“This is something I never thought I would see,” she said.
Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Two other local stores received licenses last week. The Bud Hut at 1123 Highway 532 is scheduled tentatively to open July 21. Whidbey Island Cannabis Company at 5825 S. Kramer Road in Langley opened last week.
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