SFWeekly’s Chris Roberts dug in deeper to the reason for The Hemp Center’s relocation from Geary near 12th Avenue to a new location further west on Geary near 21st Avenue, revealing that another dispensary will open soon in their old location.
Turns out that The Hemp Center lost its lease by way of the 4811 Geary building being sold. The new owners of 4811, one of whom is Clara Michelson, a Richmond District dentist, have already leased the space to a new dispensary who will open their doors shortly (rumor is that they will be called “THC”).
In San Francisco, the license to operate a cannabis dispensary is tied to a building/location, not a business. So as The Hemp Center was pushed out, the license to dispense cannabis remained with the property, opening the door for another dispensary to take over the lease and open its doors.
Meanwhile, The Hemp Center leased a new storefront at 5628 Geary and plan to open their doors on Friday, May 29. However, they no longer have a license to dispense cannabis.
Hemp Center’s owner, Kathleen Cappetti, hopes to offer a smoking lounge and cannabis delivery out of the new location. But it remains to be seen if The Hemp Center will be able to acquire a permit to sell cannabis at the new 5628 Geary location.
Read the full story at SFWeekly
Sarah B.
Ah, that makes more sense. I’d be less against multiple dispensaries than I would be against one. Commenters noted that the 21st/Geary location was next to a bar and liquor store as a hypocrisy for criticizing this.. except there are a lot of bars and liquor stores. If there were just one bar and one liquor store in the neighborhood, that too would make that block terrible.
I have little doubt that the permit application won’t be heavily contested. They’re supposed to put up a public notice sign for the application (just as alcohol licences require notice), so this explains why no one saw it sooner too.
I’m wondering how the permitting works for this – do they need to do a neighborhood notification at all?
Hope someone can clarify for us… Thanks for the update.
@Rachel – This should get you started:
https://www.sfdph.org/dph/EH/MCD/default.asp
Thanks, Sarah!
Re: the hypocrisy about bars & liquor stores – I am totally fine with getting rid of these as well.
Weed’s not going anywhere….should probably just get used to it.
Washington D.C. has already decriminalized for recreational use, CA. can’t be far behind. Ironically, it’s the people growing and selling it now who are the biggest opponents to legalization.
@Mel: Not true, Oregon is cracking down heavily. So is SJ and other places.
Walked by it on my way home tonight. Sign on door announces the Big Opening tomorrow. Strong weed odor wafting through the air front in front of Aaron Bros farm shop down a few stores to the new location. Not obvious who was smoking where, since the doors aren’t open yet. Long as everyone behaves themselves and “visitors” respect the neighborhood, I can live and let live. Alcohol overindulgence MUCH more worrisome as far as I’m concerned. Plus….tTred of 2a.m. pee-ers using the bushes in front of my place as a urinal.
@Mel, CA decriminalized recreational marijuana back in 2010. You can have up to 1oz/28g on you and get the equivalent of a jaywalking citation (civil infraction, not considered a crime). By comparison, the Netherlands’ law decriminalizing it only allows you to carry 5g.
I’ll support legalizing recreational use when it’s treated the same as alcohol — the same restrictions, regulations and ability to test for DUI. This interim pseudo-legal “medical” marijuana situation is otherwise taking advantage of what California voters intended, and belittles those who get legitimate medicinal benefits to the butt of a joke.
I wonder what percentage of MM card holders have actual legitimate medical need – like one, two percent? Maybe this is why it is the butt of the joke.
The stuff never should have been made illegal in the first place!
By any and all accounts, the laws barring marijuana use were drafted hastily with little judicial review, and were concocted primarily as a way to target minorities. Sadly, little about our drug policy has changed since then.
So from what I understand their new location makes it so they cant sell or “dispense cannabis” so they are currently just a place for MM card-holders to smoke?