Brandon DunnThe Missouri cannabis industry is a thriving market, but it’s also one of the most competitive cannabis spaces in the country. While a handful of other states have a greater number of dispensaries, few have the competitive market of Missouri.
So how does a company establish a new dispensary brand in a saturated space and succeed in one of the country’s most quickly emerging markets?
Enter Homestate Dispensary, a minority-owned group of 3 licensed dispensaries, built on customer experience and partnerships that has made a quick impression as one of the state’s most forward-thinking dispensaries.
Greenway recently spoke with the team at A Joint Operation, the management company steering Homestate, to find out what makes the dispensary brand feel like home.
With locations in Creve Coeur, Eureka, and the Kansas City Crossroads all opening this year, Homestate Dispensary made an immediate impression, crashing the gates of the hyper-competitive dispensary space in Missouri.
The Homestate Dispensary location in Creve Coeur has become one of the most recognizable dispensaries in the state
For Rachael Herndon, Chief Compliance and Communications Officer for A Joint Operation, one of the secrets to Homestate’s success lies in the approach taken at each of those locations. “Homestate has open locations in Creve Coeur at the corner of Ladue Road and Lindbergh Boulevard, in Eureka in the Hilltop Village Center by Ace Hardware, and in Kansas City in the Crossroads district just south of downtown. Each location stays true to the Homestate vibe while bringing in elements to celebrate the local community,” she explained.
The importance of community partnership and integration is one of the hallmarks of the Homestate brand, says Kate White, marketing manager for A Joint Operation. “Cannabis can be intimidating – there’s always new research and the industry is constantly changing – Homestate wants to be a primary resource for people who have questions or want to learn more. There’s a sense of familiarity that’s associated with your actual home state and we wanted to carry that feeling into our stores.” White continued, “For all of the grand openings we’ve partnered with other members of the local communities – in Creve Coeur, we worked with local food trucks like Blues Fired Pizza, in Eureka we’re fortunate to have amazing neighbors and partnered up for food and drink specials from Poor Richard’s & Melvin’s Brewing, we plan to do the same thing in Kansas City where we’re surrounded by restaurants and breweries including Grinder’s and King G’s Deli.”
“The Homestate team just celebrates each location’s grand opening with fantastic deals, pop-ups, and more,” Herndon added. “In January, we’ll be doing it all again in Kansas City to celebrate their grand opening!”
Beyond community celebrations, the Homestate team has been focusing on building relationships within the communities they represent. Customers at Homestate can expect a great blend of friendly and helpful service and product variety from a company focused on the experience. “Homestate has an incredibly diverse team with a variety of backgrounds – but they all are passionate about helping their neighbors find the best cannabis products for their needs and wants,” Herndon said.
“We’re receiving great feedback from patients at all locations complimenting our competitive pricing, knowledgeable staff, and friendly atmosphere,” explained Josh Corson, principal of A Joint Operation. “We get a lot of general product questions from people looking to learn more about different consumption types. With Amendment 3 passing we’re getting a lot of questions about adult-use. AJO is excited to convert all three Homestate locations to adult use as soon as possible!”
A look inside Homestate Dispensary
How is Homestate preparing with adult use sales just around the corner?
“Homestate is actively monitoring the adult-use rulemaking policies,” Herndon told Greenway. “Compliance is the required foundation for success in a highly regulated market. We are actively preparing to adapt internal policies and procedures to meet the demand of adult-use sales.”
“In 2022, we made an active choice to work with as many other operations as possible so that we could intentionally choose like-minded partners for adult-use,” she continued. “As an industry, we must remember the quality of operations continues to be contingent on the quality of partners and their products.”
Corson added, “Like most other operations statewide, we expect traffic to multiply at least 2-3 times in the first quarter of 2023. There’s a lot to do to prepare!”
And that community spirit that Homestate is known for? The company plans to increase their outreach and focus on community integration with the opportunity adult use brings.
“The Homestate plans for the adult-use market include local community partnerships, from roll-ups to cross-promoted brands. Homestate is prioritizing keeping costs low while supporting communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition,” Herndon said.
The AJO team poses with representatives of MOCANNTRADE and Former SMMR Director Lyndall Fraker at Homestate Creve Coeur
For those that want to learn more about Homestate and keep up to date with what the company has in store, White explains the best ways to do so. “We’ve been engaging with customers through social media, @welcometohomestate. Like many, we’re having issues with Facebook, but Instagram is holding strong. Customers can opt-in to text and email communications when they sign up for the Homestate Rewards program – it’s a great way to be notified about upcoming sales and events.”
Homestate locations are open Sunday-Monday 11-5 and Tuesday-Saturday 10-8.
Find your Homestate at www.homestatedispensary.com
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