Five Observations After Visiting A Cannabis NB Store For The First Time
SAINT JOHN – Wednesday was Canada’s big day. The use of recreational cannabis is now legal.
All provinces are handling regulation differently. Here in New Brunswick, recreational cannabis is overseen by Cannabis NB, which sells the products through its retail stores.
Almost all of the Cannabis NB stores were open on Wednesday. I was sent out to see what the whole purchasing experience was like. I know, my job is so hard.
I decided to check out the location on Rothesay Avenue in Saint John.
Here are my initial thoughts on the Cannabis NB retail experience:
1) There’s a focus on privacy
Though marijuana is now legal, there’s no doubt that there is still a stigma surrounding it. For those worried about that, they may be glad to know that Cannabis NB has a big emphasis on privacy. It’s almost like a sex shop in that sense.
Not surprisingly, you’re not allowed to take pictures inside the stores. The windows outside the shop are tinted. The whole process seems very “behind closed doors” but not in a sinister way. For example, when you’re in the waiting area after they check your ID, you don’t really see much inside the store.
When you make a purchase and request an email receipt, the cashier may make a point of telling you that your email is automatically “forgotten” and is not stored anywhere in their system.
Some may say this kind of focus on privacy gives the whole experience another layer or safety and security. But one could also argue that it just perpetuates the stigmas around cannabis use.
2) Expect to wait
Obviously, there were lineups on the store’s opening day. Safe to say it will remain like this for at least another week or so.
Since they only allow around 10 people into the retail area at the same time, once you get your ID checked at your first stop at the reception desk, chances are you will be spending some time in the waiting room.
The waiting room at the location I went to had four chairs and a table which had pamphlets and information about cannabis. Given the high volume of people they will be getting for a while, probably wouldn’t hurt if they put a few more chairs in there. Maybe that’s just me being picky. We also had to take a number to determine the order in which we entered the main store, just as you would at a Service New Brunswick location or a blood clinic (except that the paper numbers were fancier).
I’ll just come out and say this was my least favourite part of the whole thing. Not that there was anything particularly unpleasant about it, it’s just this whole part felt a little odd. Maybe it was just the sheer number of people around or just the feeling of not knowing how this experience would play out.
As we waited a couple of Cannabis NB employees chatted with patrons enthusiastically while classic rock radio hummed in the background. I had listened to John Mellencamp’s “Ain’t that America” and half of Heart’s “Baracuda” before it was my turn to go in.
3) The store itself is Apple-level
Pictures of what the store interiors look like have been circulating for a while now, but for me, it was still something to behold.
You don’t get any stereotypical dispensary vibes from this place. Its aesthetic is more like an Apple Store, sleek and modern. I must say I was kind of impressed that a government crown corporation was behind it.
4) The customer experience is also Apple-level.
The whole Cannabis NB customer experience reminded me a lot of the time I bought an iPad from an Apple store. It’s really the only other experience I can personally compare it to.
Once you get out of the waiting room, the person manning the door will introduce you to your tour guide by name. Mine just happened to be a distant cousin, because, it’s New Brunswick.
Anyways, your guide will ask you about your experience with cannabis, what experience you’re looking for, what things you’re worried about, et cetera. They are extremely friendly, understanding, and eager to help you find the product that’s right for you. This will be a really good experience for someone who has limited experience with cannabis or has never done it before.
Once you picked out the product(s) you want, your guide will then walk with you to the checkout, which, like the rest of the store, is super sleek and fancy. Your purchase is then placed into an unmarked white paper shopping bag. When you leave, another friendly employee opens the door to let you out and tells you to have a nice day.
Like, if more shopping experiences were like this (minus the waiting room), I wouldn’t be mad.
5) People are really friendly
This definitely ties into the customer service point, but this really stood out to me. Every single one of the staff I saw or encountered were beyond friendly, easy going and eager to help. Yeah, it’s their job of course, and it was their first day, but given that what they were selling was illegal less than 24 hours ago and carried so much stigma (and still does), their positive and chill attitudes were notable.