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* Crain’s…
Sales of marijuana fell in the second month of legalization in Illinois.
Revenue was $34.8 million in February, down from $39.2 million in January, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said today. Those figures do not include tax.
Total February sales were down 11 percent. Average daily sales were off 5 percent after accounting for fewer days in the month.
Out-of-state buyers accounted for 26 percent of sales in February, up from 22 percent in January.
Probably to be expected, considering the initial novelty, the resulting lack of product (growers really need to step up) and the lack of personnel to deal with the long lines (retailers really need to hire more people). But, one month is not a trend and this is gonna be legal in perpetuity, so I generally take the long view.
* The Question: Have you visited or do you plan to visit an adult-use dispensary? If so, tell us about your experience. If not, explain why.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:11 pm
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Yes, I went January 1st and a few times after. I’ve been to a location in central Illinois and one in the suburbs. Generally disappointed in the lack of variety (one option of flower each time) and the crazy high prices. Each time you feel rushed to place your order before you ever step foot into the actual room where you make your purchase.
If anyone has ever been to California or Colorado, it’s nothing like that. You don’t get to smell the jars or see the buds.
My local guy has more options for half the price. I want to continue using the dispensary because I know the percentage of thc but that little information is not worth twice the price.
Comment by Truthiness Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:23 pm
I’ve been several times to the Springfield dispensary. You can be in and out in 30 minutes if you go at the right time. The people are friendly and organized but it’s still kind of a pain to go through the wait and sales process.
Comment by Laz Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:23 pm
Visited and purchased Rec, Worth, IL. It was garbage. The rollout is horrible. The place is like a methadone clinic. The state should be ashamed entirely, they botched this thing. The $$ realization will be less than it could’ve been thanks to the planning and execution that went into this.
Comment by ;) Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:25 pm
2 armed guards and multiple security doors made it feel like something bad was happening, not a comfortable experience compared to other states where there are windows, display cases etc. like you’d have in a normal store selling a legal product. But the important thing is people aren’t going to jail over it.
Comment by cheech Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:28 pm
Truthiness, you’re spot on, too.
Comment by ;) Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:28 pm
***The place is like a methadone clinic. The state should be ashamed entirely, they botched this thing***
The state does not decorate dispensaries.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:30 pm
Went to one in Oregon and it was as if a day spa and a happy puppy had a baby. Went to one in Illinois and it was basically a trip to the DMV.
Comment by oneholeoff Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:34 pm
Well, the Quincy Rise dispensary was quite nice. Fairly quick, clean, helpful staff. Edibles were kind of limited, but given how new the industry it was fine. I wasn’t planning on making a stop, but I ended up getting gas next door and figured why not. I also stopped at the liquor store across the street which had a decent beer selection.
The gas station had video gaming, but I skipped gambling though it did make me feel like I was in South Dakota.
Comment by Archpundit Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:34 pm
I’ve been to three different dispensaries. I don’t smoke and only do edibles so I have found the experience to be acceptable. The variety available could be improved, but I’m satisfied. I don’t mind paying the price. To me it’s like buying an imperial pledger vs a bud light. Of course the porter will cost more.
Comment by The Edge Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:50 pm
The atmosphere was as bad as trying to make a retail return on December 26th. Through the chaos, we were hearded through a maze of lines and bossed around by security as if we were children. Only a few products were available and information was limited about each item. We had to make our decisions in the lobby prior to entering the dispensing room. At that point my passport was denied as being an acceptable government issued ID. This program is not traveler friendly. I left after that.
Comment by Kayak Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:53 pm
I haven’t, and probably won’t, for the same reason I generally don’t drink. It’s been a few years since my last beer, and I was never a big drinker. I just don’t see the appeal of poisoning my brain until it’s unable to function. To each their own, though.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:55 pm
Haven’t been, don’t intend to. I’m the same with alcohol. I’m not opposed, but it doesn’t appeal. If either ever sounds good I’ll go get some and consume.
Comment by Earnest Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:56 pm
I’ve heard the DMV reference while waiting in line at least a dozen times. That’s a widely held feeling.
The lack of variety is to be expected with the insane micromanaging the state imposed. You can tell the authors never ran a business or had to deal with inventory. And to Rich’s point, why would they hire a ton of new workers when demand is so unpredictable?
And the prices … just wow. You dont beat the black market by making the legal product 2-3x the price of the illegal. I want to keep going and paying my taxes, but my wallet wont let me. We’re on the extreme wrong side of the Laffer curve when it comes to the taxes. The state will be lucky to pull in a fraction of original estimates. What was wrong with the Colorado model? Insufficient opportunity for GA members to “engineer” a desired outcome is my guess.
Comment by ImHere Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 3:58 pm
No and No. No interest. Few experimental experiences in college years left me underwhelmed with marijuana.
Comment by Responsa Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:01 pm
Some folks have medical cards and have not had to go adult-use. There’s much more available product for those folks. The answers are yes and yes. Product was scarce, but everything else was okay. Saw today that Rise in Effingham had two very nice pre-roll strains.
We can validly complain about scarce product, but we’re thankfully not Massachusetts in this regard: where adult-use didn’t start until two or so years after voters approved it. Dispensaries in other states are operating full-tilt, and I expect we will too, hopefully in the not too distant future.
Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:01 pm
Grandson of Man——-where art thou?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:06 pm
Same as others. I’ve been a few times in Chicago. Limited supply and selection and the prices are just ridiculous. Black market is still far better option for quality, selection, price and convenience.
Comment by Squints Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:15 pm
Have heard a number of people indicate they are going back to their street guy as it is cheaper and the State dispensaries are perpetually out of weed.
The street guy hasn’t been perpetually out of weed in 40 years.
Comment by Say What? Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:19 pm
–SayWhat?–
A street guy that *a friend* knows actually increased his prices a bit because legal prices (his primary competitor now) are so incredibly high. The law of unintended consequences in action.
Comment by ImHere Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:22 pm
Haven’t been, not sure if I will. Gave up alcohol years ago, but could be tempted with pot. I don’t like what I’m seeing in these comments though, and I don’t like to stand in line to hand people money for a poor experience. I’ll let them iron out the kinks and consider it in a few months.
Comment by SSL Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:24 pm
Did they take into account that February has 6.5% less days than January?
Comment by Ok Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:26 pm
Clearly they did.
Comment by Ok Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:27 pm
My visit to the store in Effingham was a bit like entering a minimum security jail (which I’ve done in the past to teach classes.) No small talk in the atrium, hand your ID to the person behind the glass, move over against the wall to wait. On the other side of the door the line was short. I just came for the gummies. Products weren’t displayed. Efficient operation, but way too clinical. Maybe in the future things will relax and shopping will be more of an experience. This wasn’t a bad experience, considering it’s at least legal.
Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 4:46 pm
“poisoning my brain until it’s unable to function” — this day and age, sign me up
To QOTD — No and no. Don’t/won’t smoke anything (never have, never will), edibles an unexplored option likely to remain so on comments here/elsewhere. Maybe I’m just old and already fixed in my preversions.
Comment by Flapdoodle Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 5:38 pm
Went to one to buy some gummies for my elderly father-in-law who has alzheimer’s. There was a continuous line that moved very quickly. There was a lady handing out menus in the lobby. Had to use the menu to preselect what I wanted. Once at the counter, the order was waiting to be picked up. Clerk seemed to be knowledgeable, was very reassuring that what I had selected would work. Wrote out dosage recommendations.
Comment by Huh? Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 5:47 pm
Yes, I plan on shopping at one. However every time I’ve driven by the Collinsville dispensary the long line keeps me away. The lines in Sauget were bad yesterday too. High prices, lack of product and not being able to see what you’re buying means I am in no rush to leave the black market. I’ve been to a dispensary in Oregon and it sounds much more user-friendly than what we are, so far, stuck with here.
Comment by Collinsville Kevin Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 5:51 pm
Same as others. Poor selection and way overpriced. I was rushed and no one took time to answer questions
Comment by Generic Drone Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 5:51 pm
No, I gave up drugs years ago.
Comment by JDuc Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 6:40 pm
I stopped at the one in downtown Springfield. Parked a block away, walked to the dispensary. Shopped, bought, and back in car less than 15 minutes later. Whole experience was fast, easy, and the product was good.
Comment by Bruce( no not him) Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 7:55 pm
I’ve been to the dispensary in Springfield…lines still get crazy long. I’ve found that going earlier in the week works better juxtaposed with going closer to the weekend.
That said, prices are crazy, supply is low (when they have a product I like, it’s never available when I return), the security guards get overzealous (just HOW many times do I have to get my license scanned?!) AND because of the short supply, they don’t even do recreational on Mondays, just medical patients only.
But there will be kinks in any new system. I’d expect by this time next year it should be smoother. I rate it a 5/10 right now. I like it overall.
Comment by Springfield Westsider Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 8:06 pm
I’ve been twice here in town. Taxes are absurd (35% for rec). Business will go down if supply doesn’t meet demand soon. Security guards are bossy and rude at times and treat people like cattle. Am hour wait each time also awful. Clerks are fine but you can’t even see what you’re buying until its time to check out. If supply doesn’t meet demand soon (and prices go down where they belong- its still a lot cheaper on the black market), these dispensaries will go out of business. Screwed up business model in my view. You have to spend over $100 to get anything worthwhile (I’d never spend that in a liquor store).
Comment by tunes Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 8:55 pm
I’m tickled that its no longer illegal in Illinois. Otherwise prices are absurd, thanks to 35% tax..:/
Comment by tunes Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 8:58 pm
I guess I lucked out. I stopped over earlier this week to the Rise store in Joliet, where they proudly told me to my surprise I was now a preferred customer due to my previous visit…s.
While the selection isn’t like a Starbucks menu, I haven’t had a problem with what has been available.
The visit this week was in and out within about 10 minutes.
From what I’ve been reading it sound like this store is one of the better run in the state.
Either that, or I’m just so satisfied about the concept of being able to buy cannabis legally in the first place, that I’m miles away from feeling like I should have anything to complain about at all.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Mar 5, 20 @ 9:02 pm
I went once in Joliet after the new year and haven’t gone back. Why would I buy flower for 3x the price from a dispensary, when I can just buy it from a buddy? The 39% tax is insane.
Comment by CubsFan16 Friday, Mar 6, 20 @ 12:26 am
I’ve gone to two locations in Springfield…they were clean and staff were friendly. I have a medical card so I didn’t have to wait in line but the lack of product, esp. edibles has been a difficult challenge as I really do use it for medical purposes but that seems to be improving. My dispensary doesn’t even sell recreational yet because they can’t keep up with the medical need.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 6, 20 @ 7:11 am
Everyone complaining and comparing IL dispensaries to the west coast at this point are just misinformed and illogical. Those are mature markets that have taken years to develop- IL converted a very small medical market in 6 months to an adult-use market with 10x the demand. The only opened dispensaries to date other than RISE Quincy and RISE Joliet are medical-facility conversions. Not a surprise there are supply shortages and complaints about the size of retail locations…. give it a year and massive new cultivation will be coming online and high-end retail locations will open up specifically designed for adult-use sales. Prices will drop and lines will shorten, this happens in every new adult-use market. Have some patience
Comment by CannaInsider Friday, Mar 6, 20 @ 11:38 am
No, not until the prices come down. I can do better on the black market.
Comment by Nameless Friday, Mar 6, 20 @ 12:19 pm