Recreational marijuana will soon be available in Grover Beach after the city council approved four permits for recreational sales.
Natural Healing Center is likely to be the first in recreational operation, starting as early as Thursday morning.
"We got so many calls every day — 25 to 40 calls every day — asking us if we’re recreational, when we plan to be recreational," Natural Healing Center Manager Patrick Girgis said. "It’s just amazing to finally let them know the time’s come now."
NHC hasn’t been open in Grover Beach for long but now plans to expand sales for medical and recreational use.
The shop had a false start to the action Wednesday, posting on its Facebook page that it was selling products for recreational use Wednesday. NHC must first clear a law enforcement sweep that was set for Wednesday night.
"We’re getting a consistent flow of medical patients," Girgis said. "We expect that to double once we go recreational."
That’s also what 805 Beach Breaks expects to see once it officially receives its state license.
"We’re really waiting any day now to get our permit from the state," 805 Beach Breaks Manager Daniel Fried said.
Natural Healing Center and 805 Beach Breaks are just two of four storefronts approved by city council for recreational operation. The council also approved seven marijuana manufacturers, according to City Manager Matthew Bronson.
"We’ve become the vanguard on commercial cannabis," Grover Beach Mayor John Shoals said. "That goes back about two years ago in which this council said we’re looking at this as a growth industry and not this thing people have characterized as this stigma."
Mayor Shoals said the tightly regulated dispensaries will bring Grover Beach $700,000 in tax revenue this fiscal year and even more green in the future, with $1.5 million anticipated in 2021.
"These are the folks that we’re expecting to make an investment in our community," said the mayor.
It’s an investment these dispensaries believe will repay in dividends.
"As we go recreational, we know we’ll probably see double to triple our sales," said Fried.
