Brandon Dunn
Within a few seconds of walking in any room, you can probably spot Justin Neely. He’s charismatic and always has an infectious smile. Neely is the Founder and Managing Member at The Herbalist, medical cannabis dispensaries located in Southeast Missouri.
The Herbalist opened its first location at 1336 Clover Drive in Jackson on May 21 and announced the opening of the Kennett location (812 Lester St.) for Father’s Day weekend on June 18.
Over the last two years, Neely has been an active part of the cannabis community in Missouri, working diligently to spread the word of what was to come with The Herbalist and working tirelessly to build the needed relationships to serve the state’s patients.
Now open, the dispensary is unassuming from the outside but ensures patient access with an access ramp and unobstructed parking. Once inside the building, patients are surrounded by craftsmanship and artisan accents throughout. From the steel signage affixed to the retail counter, to hand-crafted displays, and a one-of-a-kind coffee table that seems to catch the attention of everyone who enters. Beyond the physical touches, patients are treated to engaging and vibrant staff.
“The Herbalist is all about quality. We seek to provide this by sourcing the finest quality products the market has to offer and by ensuring our staff is well trained,” Neely explains.
The Jackson location currently carries 14 strains of flower from Flora Farms and Proper Cannabis and has a selection of edibles from Honeybee and Sweet Stone, as well as concentrates and extracts from Proper and Heartland Labs.
“We get a lot of questions relating to the different strains we currently have in stock. Feedback has been great thus far. Patients seem to love the store.”
“All of our Bud Tenders are Healer Certified,” Neely continues, “They are amazing! Everyone put in so much work to get things up and running. I can’t say enough good things about them. They are all knowledgeable and friendly. People should just pay us a visit and meet them.”
That dedication to service extends beyond the retail setting and into the community, with The Herbalist looking for opportunities to work with local organizations and supporting fundraisers for disabled veterans. Neely leads by example, he has made himself available in the cannabis community – answering questions about home cultivation and helping to educate patients throughout the state.
For his part, Neely has never shied away from his experience in less-than-legal markets and has used that knowledge to help patients on a budget understand how to get the most out of what they have available to them. That passion for patients and the cannabis plant rests at the heart of The Herbalist.
“When patients come into The Herbalist they should expect to be treated with respect by a knowledgable staff,” Neely said. “We have Facebook and Instagram pages. However, we prefer for people to come on in so we can talk to them old fashioned, face-to-face.” For those that want to check The Herbalist out online you can find them on Facebook and Instagram, or you can visit them at the Jackson location Mon-Sun from 10 am – 8 pm, and at the Kennett location, Mon – Sat from 10 am to 8 pm.
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