J Supply Co's chief design officer wants customers to feel right at home in Windsor's first cannabis retail store.
If you have been to the company's store in London, J. London, you will have noticed the upscale feel. It is bright and spacious. Fine art adorns the walls.
David Craig said the company wanted the shop at 545 Ouellette Ave. to be just as comfortable with some upgrades.
"We have learned a number of things over the year that we've been open in London, and we've applied those to our environment as well as our standard operating procedures to enhance it," he said. "It's kind of a 2.0 version of the store in London."
While retail storefronts have opened in other cities since the prohibition on recreational cannabis ended, Windsor has waited for 18 months for its first pot shop. Craig said the wait is almost over.
"There are a few things to satisfy yet with the regulator. We want to make sure we're compliant with everything," he said. "If everything goes smoothly, we should be open by [March] 20. If it's not quite as smooth, I would say the 27th."
The store will offer 450 cannabis products, supplied by the Ontario Cannabis Store. For the beginner, the list can seem overwhelming. Craig said the company had taken every care to ensure its clientele has a positive experience.
"The software that we have takes you through a process -- it only takes about five minutes to do," he explained. "It will go through our inventory and select the closest matches."
The company is still in the process of hiring 20 staff members after receiving about 800 applications.
"We've been careful to hire people who kind of fit all the different demographics that we hope to serve so that people can come in and they can feel comfortable," said Craig.