On this episode of The Ganjapreneur Podcast, host TG Branfalt sits down with Christie and William Ashabranner, the husband-and-wife duo behind The Herb Cave, a licensed hashish dispensary in Plattsburgh, New York. Constructed on values of inclusivity, kindness, and training, The Herb Cave stands out not just for its product choice and inside design, however for its real neighborhood connection and emphasis on buyer expertise.
On this interview, Christie and William share the trials of opening a hashish store in a hesitant actual property market, how word-of-mouth and workers tradition fueled their early success, and why they’re constructing an area that goes past retail with occasions, metaphysical choices, and plans for an eventual on-site consumption lounge. Additionally they mirror on legacy roots, regulatory frustrations, and what it takes to earn a buyer’s belief in a authorized market.
Hearken to the episode:
Learn the transcript:
Editor’s word: this transcript was generated robotically and should include errors.
Business:
The Ganjapreneur Podcast is made attainable by over 500 hashish business service suppliers in Ganjapreneurs Hashish Enterprise Index. Sooner or later, each plant touching model experiences the stigma that many industries nonetheless should towards hashish going robust. Since 2015, our enterprise index is probably the most complete and incessantly visited listing for hashish pleasant providers on the web, saving you the time and trouble of sifting by way of uninformed and unwelcoming suppliers with classes for all the things from enterprise financing to extraction tools to inside designers and public relations. You’ll discover each type of specialist and enterprise service you can ever want. Try the enterprise index right now at ganjapreneur.com/companies.
TG Branfalt:
Hey there, I’m your host, TG Branfalt, and that is the Ganjapreneur.com podcast the place we attempt to convey you actionable data and normalized hashish by way of the tales of ganjapreneurs, activists and business stakeholders. Right now I’m joined by Christie and William Ashabranner. They’re house owners of Plattsburgh, New York based mostly dispensary, the Herb Cave. Christie, the founding father of the Herb Cave, constructed the area with inclusivity at its core with a mission rooted in therapeutic, connection and neighborhood. William began within the hashish area in 2018 as a hashish advocate and educator keen about plant medication, entrepreneurship, and creating areas that mix training, wellness, and tradition. Christie, William, how are you doing this afternoon?
Christie Ashabranner:
We’re doing good.
TG Branfalt:
I’m actually excited to have one in every of my native haunts on the podcast. It’s very uncommon and fairly the pleasure. After I get to do that, inform my listeners about yourselves, the way you ended up within the hashish area.
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, you can begin, William, as a result of you will have greater than I do.
William Ashabranner:
So I began in 2018. I used to be type of scouted by Remedy eaf and so they discovered me and I helped them open their 4 medical shops all through the state. I used to be their outreach rep, so I educated and opened their shops all through the state, and that was fairly eyeopening and helped us do that.
TG Branfalt:
So how did you guys give you the concept to do that, to make the leap right into a full on retail dispensary?
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, it wasn’t concerning the concept. I imply, when hashish was legalized in 2021, William and I, we sat and thought of it and I used to be type of the person who pushed him like, Hey, we are able to do that. And he’s like, I don’t know. And I used to be like, sure, we completely can do that. So we began studying the regs and all the things that was rolling out because it rolled out, and we simply type of rolled with the punches.
William Ashabranner:
The regs got here out and some months later we had been searching for a spot to hire.
TG Branfalt:
And so inform me about that course of. You guys clearly needed to begin from the bottom up. What was that like? In New York, we began with that conditional retail grownup use form of mannequin, which we’re nonetheless type of working underneath. So may you simply clarify what the method was like for you two?
Christie Ashabranner:
Oh my God, it was hell. I imply, it was whole utter hell. We needed to simply do all the things on a wing and a prayer and simply observe the mannequin, construct it, and it’ll come. So I suppose will may clarify how we leased our place and the way we discovered it.
William Ashabranner:
So we discovered our place. We noticed for hire signal within the constructing placard, and we known as up the store and so they stated, hell no. And so we checked out each single place for hire in Plattsburgh and I imply each place that was out there for hire at the moment, that was loopy. And the landlords both needed nothing to do with hashish on the time. They had been simply freaked out about it. It was so new or they weren’t answering us. The area simply wasn’t going to work. In order that took a couple of months. We obtained strung alongside by a couple of landlords, after which finally we looped again round to the very first place that we noticed, which is our location now. And we known as them again up and we stated, properly, what about now? As a result of everyone else stated no,
Christie Ashabranner:
Would you rethink your place?
William Ashabranner:
And so they stated, yeah, we truly tried to get ahold of you a couple of weeks in the past to let you recognize that we modified our minds. And we had been like, wow, what a blessing, as a result of that is the one spot, the one spot we would like. As a result of one, it’s proper off the freeway. Two, it has a drive-through, and three, it had the potential for constructing out our lounge, which is basically essential to us. Yeah.
TG Branfalt:
Do you will have a timeframe for that? Is that also one thing that state regs are coping with state regs on the lounge,
William Ashabranner:
Sure, on the state regs, however we’re going to be opening it within the subsequent few months for neighborhood occasions.
TG Branfalt:
Yep. That’s very, very thrilling. Did you will have any points with the city with regard to zoning or something like that?
Christie Ashabranner:
No, we didn’t have any points with the city. We have now probably the most awesomest city clerk ever shout out to Katie Lucci. She is wonderful. She was very supportive and really sort to us.
TG Branfalt:
So one of many issues that I’ve talked to plenty of enterprise house owners in New York all through the state about is the state of promoting. It’s one of many form of strictest laws within the state. It’s mainly uncowed banned. So what did you do to promote or unfold the phrase within the face of this strict promoting?
Christie Ashabranner:
So we actually haven’t been capable of promote in any respect. We’re ready for extra stuff to roll out so we are able to try this. However mainly it’s been individuals are available, they’ve an expertise, they’ve that have, they arrive again in and so they’re like, whoa, we cherished your stuff. We love your vibe. We love how all the things goes right here, how we’re handled as a buyer. And we simply inform all your pals, inform all your pals.
TG Branfalt:
And so they do
Christie Ashabranner:
And so they do.
TG Branfalt:
So phrase of mouth has confirmed to be probably the most type of essential half for you at this
William Ashabranner:
Level? Yeah, I imply when you get trash weed, you’re going to inform all your pals. However when you get good weed, you’re additionally going to inform all your pals.
Christie Ashabranner:
And when you get handled like shit, you’re going to inform all your pals. And when you get handled with respect and kindness, you’re additionally going to inform all your pals.
William Ashabranner:
It’s been good for us.
TG Branfalt:
And I imply, I can communicate form of personally to your workers and simply to the area. I imply there’s plenty of feng shui, the best way that it form of flows, the place flows and the workers is at all times very educated, very, very sort individuals
William Ashabranner:
Actually on November twenty fourth
Christie Ashabranner:
And opened the herb cave December twenty seventh.
TG Branfalt:
Unbelievable. So I actually needed to circle again to your workers as a result of once more, I’ve been there lots. I’ve been to plenty of the dispensaries all through the state and even up going as much as Messina, the reservation. And it is likely one of the issues that does stand out concerning the Herb cave is the workers. What qualities do you search for in your workers and the way do you establish who suits that form of mildew?
Christie Ashabranner:
So the Herb Cave has a motto and it’s known as your vibe attracts your Tribe. So we type of undergo a preliminary interview. So there’s a two interview course of and both Will and I or simply myself will sit with a candidate and mainly simply really feel out who they’re as an individual fairly than their credentials, what sort of training or background they’ve. To us it’s extra about kindness, being teachable and simply typically having an excellent outlook on life. In order that’s what issues probably the most to us. It doesn’t matter to us. Lots of people will apply and have plenty of training in hashish or know lots about it, and so they assume that they’re going to get a job and that’s not the best way it really works with us. You typically should be an excellent human being for us to wish to work with you.
TG Branfalt:
Do you get plenty of school children coming in pondering that it’ll simply be like a fast form of keep fast job whereas they’re in school?
William Ashabranner:
We do get candidates, I’d say we get plenty of candidates, however we’re searching for extra everlasting
Christie Ashabranner:
Workers. Yeah, positively.
TG Branfalt:
As a result of Plattsburgh is a university city. So what are the most well-liked merchandise in your store within the first form of few months? Six months
William Ashabranner:
Rolls? 100%. Yeah,
Christie Ashabranner:
We promote a ton.
William Ashabranner:
Something like 99% of the individuals coming in, they’re coming in for our pre-roll.
TG Branfalt:
Any particular manufacturers or
William Ashabranner:
For the pre-rolls? We promote plenty of Leos. We promote plenty of rolling Inexperienced, golden Backyard.
TG Branfalt:
Do you discover that individuals are selecting the merchandise based mostly on the model, the worth? Is it a mixture of each?
William Ashabranner:
I believe it’s no matter our bud tenders are telling them is an effective product
Christie Ashabranner:
Actually.
William Ashabranner:
They actually belief our bud tenders to inform them what’s good proper now.
Christie Ashabranner:
And that’s proper alongside with our bud tenders attempting the merchandise and being educated on the merchandise in addition to how they deal with the client. They develop that respect and reference to them.
William Ashabranner:
We do month-to-month smoke events with our workers to allow them to attempt all the things and I believe that actually helps promote the merchandise.
TG Branfalt:
Yeah. Do you are taking plenty of the suggestions on the manufacturers that you just inventory out of your workers or how do you determine which manufacturers are going to suit the herb cave?
William Ashabranner:
That’s all Will. I’ll take full duty for that. I don’t actually give any wiggle room for who makes choices there. It’s all me. I’m very huge into the market and I observe it very carefully so I do know what’s new, what simply dropped. And our clients are actually searching for new merchandise constantly. So we’re constantly stocking these new drops
Christie Ashabranner:
And he’s at all times following and researching the recognition in addition to the standard of the model and fame as properly.
William Ashabranner:
Yeah, fame for the manufacturers is essential to me. I’m not going to throw shade at any manufacturers, but when I learn one thing unhealthy, they’re not paying their distributors or one thing like that. A distributor isn’t paying their distributors, I’m not going to maintain shopping for your stuff as a result of I don’t imagine in enterprise like that. So I hold an in depth eye on what individuals are doing too and the way they deal with individuals.
Christie Ashabranner:
So the identical issues that we anticipate from our bartenders, we maintain ourself to those self same expectations in the direction of our distributors and stuff.
TG Branfalt:
Have the merchandise, you say pre-rolls are the most well-liked. Has that shifted because you opened or has that been the case from the leap?
William Ashabranner:
That’s just about been constant. Undoubtedly.
TG Branfalt:
So how a lot has educating clients performed to date in your daily on the city?
William Ashabranner:
Oh, it’s every single day. We spend all day educating our clients. That was an enormous factor with coaching our workers. We took plenty of time, days and days to coach them earlier than we opened. In all the things I knew from my entire medical profession for hashish, I taught them. So I really feel very assured that they know methods to assist clients that are available searching for medical wants. We educate clients concerning the cannabinoids, the terpenes, no matter they wish to know.
Christie Ashabranner:
And a few of them don’t wish to know something. They simply wish to purchase one thing that has the very best THC, proper?
William Ashabranner:
Yep. We solely provide that data actually, if they appear like they need it, we don’t overshare or
Christie Ashabranner:
We simply depart it open for questions. And if they’ve questions, our bud tenderers are educated sufficient to reply them. And so they’re additionally educated sufficient to say, if I don’t know the reply to that, let me discover anyone else who does.
TG Branfalt:
I imply, that’s crucial, proper? Should you don’t know, say you don’t know. I imply, that’s the trustworthy strategy to do enterprise sometimes. I do know that plenty of locations I speak to, they are saying our buyer base is plenty of boomers, lots of people who’re of their fifties and olders. Are you seeing plenty of that? Or as a result of it’s a university city, are you seeing extra school children?
William Ashabranner:
I believe it’s like the right combine.
Christie Ashabranner:
Yeah, it’s an enormous combine. And we supply merchandise to get individuals who no matter they need. You already know what I imply? So I can’t even consider my phrase that I wouldn’t say. We have now
William Ashabranner:
A wide range of buyer
Christie Ashabranner:
Base to,
William Ashabranner:
We have now a bunch of older inhabitants that’ll are available only for topicals or their tinctures. There was a time the place CAF had stopped promoting greater CBD merchandise, so we obtained an inflow of shoppers that simply need CBD merchandise,
Christie Ashabranner:
One thing for everybody. Undoubtedly.
TG Branfalt:
And also you do see is THC that driving form of issue for what share of your merchandise do you suppose are your buyer bases coming in and saying, simply give me probably the most potent stuff that you’ve.
Christie Ashabranner:
In order that’s the place the training is available in. So more often than not they do are available and ask that, however our bud tenders are skilled typically that top THC isn’t an element with regards to the standard of the bud. And I’ll let Will take that over. I do know he has one thing so as to add to that.
William Ashabranner:
Yeah, properly, we’ve one particular bud tender who will at all times, even from throughout the room, be yelling to a buyer in the event that they’re like, what’s the very best THC? She’s telling you your nostril, nostril. It’s the terpenes that matter. So we’ve actually tried to coach about that, that THC share is just not all the things. And we attempt to steer clients in the direction of a decrease THC p.c simply to attempt it as soon as, attempt it as soon as and are available again and inform us when you didn’t prefer it and we gained’t recommend it once more, however at the very least attempt it as soon as.
Christie Ashabranner:
And that’s how we construct that belief with them as a result of normally they arrive again and say, that was fucking superior. Thanks.
TG Branfalt:
Now I’ve at all times, my one huge knock on legalization all through my time internet hosting this podcast and personally is the concern that the stronger the product, the extra chance of an adversarial impact. If anyone who shouldn’t be doing dabs begins doing dabs after which they begin calling 9 1 1 as a result of they get the form of unintended effects. Is that one thing that you just as enterprise house owners take into consideration when ordering merchandise? Perhaps to not for positive. Yeah.
William Ashabranner:
Yeah. Properly at the very least when promoting them too. For an instance, if I had perhaps what I assumed was a hashish naive individual, perhaps for instance, an older woman who’s shopping for a factor of dabs, this actually occurred the opposite day and our bud tender stated, are you positive it is a product for you? Is it going to be too potent? Have you ever ever tried this earlier than? We didn’t simply ship her out the door with this baller jar of dabs. We requested, is that this one thing? Are you positive that you really want this?
Christie Ashabranner:
Yeah. For us, it’s not concerning the sale, it’s concerning the expertise, proper? We don’t wish to push issues on individuals simply because we would like the cash. We wish to ensure that they’re joyful and have an excellent expertise so they arrive again.
TG Branfalt:
And the way has the desire, that is I suppose form of for you, how has the form of business modified in your opinion within the eight years or so that you just’ve been part of it?
William Ashabranner:
The merchandise in fact, have modified considerably. After I left the business, we had been promoting tinctures, capsules and vapes and floor flower pods and that was it. So it’s modified lots. The quantity of shoppers which can be extra open to coming within the store has modified. I imply, we nonetheless have lots of people parking within the again parking zone, however I really feel like the quantity of people who find themselves extra open to coming in has positively modified. Extra open-minded individuals for positive.
TG Branfalt:
And Christie, you, what’s been probably the most eyeopening half about getting concerned on this business?
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, I imply, I’ve been in enterprise for myself since 2007, however being within the hashish business, it actually has stunned me. I didn’t anticipate to get pleasure from a working a lot. So we seven days every week, but it surely’s actually wonderful to simply be there and simply vibe along with your staff. We have now dance events and we actually have an excellent time collectively. After which having the purchasers simply are available over and over and simply see the grins on their faces. I’ve labored in plenty of totally different industries and this one by far has been the perfect, the perfect. It’s a lot enjoyable.
TG Branfalt:
Do you suppose that, I imply, you guys are younger individuals youthful than me, I assume. How a lot of a job do you suppose that that performs in your relationship along with your workers and your buyer?
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, I’ll should appropriate you on that one, sir. I’m 47 years outdated.
TG Branfalt:
You might be older than me. You might be older than me.
Christie Ashabranner:
So I believe Will and I are married, he’s youthful than me, however I believe we’ve a pleasant vary lined between the 2 of us.
William Ashabranner:
I do suppose having a previous historical past in our neighborhood, to not throw us underneath the bus, however we’ve a legacy historical past that we in fact stopped once we apply to guard our license. However having that legacy historical past and simply I suppose the age that I’m and simply the folks that I do know has actually grown our enterprise as a result of we’re simply well-known individuals locally. I dunno how else to say it
Christie Ashabranner:
And trusted.
William Ashabranner:
We’re well-known and trusted and that’s actually helped.
TG Branfalt:
I do truly wish to contact on the legacy factor a little bit bit as a result of I’ve discovered that individuals who did function form of outdoors the letter of the legislation previous to legalization are type of extra profitable on this business after they resolve
William Ashabranner:
100%.
TG Branfalt:
So I imply, it could look like a type of obtuse query, however what do you convey from that earlier expertise right into a form of regulated market?
William Ashabranner:
We knew precisely what our clients needed already,
Christie Ashabranner:
And I can inform you that the primary factor is the way you deal with your buyer.
William Ashabranner:
Yep. We discovered that early on that it didn’t matter when you had the bottom costs. Should you had been treating your clients badly, they’re going to go to anyone else. So customer support is large. We discovered all the things even right down to don’t have too many gross sales. It taught us all the things that we all know now.
Christie Ashabranner:
Sorry, truly, I believe that’s how some individuals which can be in legacy fail too, as a result of they really feel like they’re typically entitled to the gross sales regardless of how they deal with individuals. And I believe that makes only a huge distinction.
TG Branfalt:
How essential is it to be one in every of, I imply simply there’s what, three whole licensees in Plattsburgh? There’s one company hashish store. How essential is it to you to be fulfilling this position on this city?
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, talking for myself, once we constructed this, we had a dream of making a spot the place individuals felt protected and needed to come back to. And we’ve visited many dispensaries, not simply those on the town. We traveled throughout New York state. We’ve been to Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and we noticed what they had been doing and what they had been doing unsuitable, and that’s what we introduced right here to Plattsburgh. So it’s crucial to us to supply one thing great for our neighborhood
William Ashabranner:
All day lengthy. We hear we love this place a lot, we’ll by no means go anyplace else. And that’s similar to, we all know we did it proper once we hear
Christie Ashabranner:
That. Yeah, for positive.
TG Branfalt:
Are you able to inform me one thing that you just introduced perhaps or a kind of dispensers that you just walked into that you just simply stated, that is the vibe that we’re searching for. Is there one which form of stands out to
William Ashabranner:
You? Sure. Should you Google the greenery spot in Bingington, we completely jacked our colours. I’m not going to lie. And so they comprehend it. We’re buddies,
Christie Ashabranner:
We advised
William Ashabranner:
Them, however the inexperienced and the black, once we walked into that dispensary and a few of their graffiti on the wall, we had been like, that is it 100%. That is our vibe. We have to recreate this in our area in our personal manner. And humorous sufficient, they personal Meyer safety and so they did our entire safety set up. So after they walked into our area, they had been like, this appears to be like a little bit acquainted. And we had been like,
William Ashabranner:
Yeah, we stole from you.
Christie Ashabranner:
Thanks.
TG Branfalt:
What else went into the design? You’ve had companies up to now, Chris was designing for this totally different in comparison with different companies?
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, I imply, I’ve had a hair salon, I’ve had a gasoline station, I’ve had a restaurant. I’ve had a number of issues, however I’m disabled, so I’ve muscular dystrophy, and it was actually essential for me to have a facility that was accessible to folks that had totally different bodily capabilities, I suppose I’d say. And we spent plenty of time, will and I arguing concerning the move. I in the end gained in fact. However yeah, we’ve a wheelchair ramp. We have now a really round move to make it straightforward to individuals get out and in, and I simply like it. We spent a of time and power and thought into it.
TG Branfalt:
Is there one thing within the state form of laws that you just suppose is most, what’s the phrase I’m searching for, most prevents one thing that you just’d wish to see that the state is stopping or one thing within the regs that isn’t frequent sense that you just suppose needs to be modified?
Christie Ashabranner:
Properly, promoting for one.
William Ashabranner:
Yeah, positively the promoting. I do imagine they’re engaged on that, but it surely’s taking a while with the general public remark
Christie Ashabranner:
Interval, how lengthy it takes to roll out the laws for issues that we’re already licensed for
William Ashabranner:
The air flow, if they may transfer alongside on the lounge, simply something to do with the lounges. We’ve been ready,
Christie Ashabranner:
However I do know that they’ve been going by way of plenty of stuff just like the Ooc M is basically struggling, so completely get that. However it’s simply arduous at all times having to attend. Proper? Anticipation. It sucks.
TG Branfalt:
You could be the one individual that I’ve ever met who truly stated, it’s okay, regulators, I can be affected person.
Christie Ashabranner:
That’s, properly, it goes together with that perception system. We all know it’s going to occur. Whether or not or not they are saying it’s going to occur. We discover a strategy to in some way at all times come out on high, and that’s simply the best way it’s for us. We we’re very, very lucky.
TG Branfalt:
So that you’re planning neighborhood occasions for the lounge earlier than it turns into a lounge. What kind of stuff are you planning on doing within the interim?
William Ashabranner:
We’ll have an occasion each single evening. We’re nonetheless engaged on what that appears like, however stay music trivia, comedy poetry, slams,
Christie Ashabranner:
Enjoyable stuff.
William Ashabranner:
We’re going to combine in her religious stuff. We’ll do card readings finally. Aura images, all the things you possibly can consider for weed and metaphysical. We’re going to combine it collectively.
TG Branfalt:
Yep. I’ve by no means heard of one other place that does something like that. So the place can individuals discover out extra about you and extra concerning the Herb Cave?
William Ashabranner:
The herb cave.com and so they can discover me on the Herb cave on Instagram. That’s me.
Christie Ashabranner:
In the event that they wish to know extra about me, it’s christie asher brander.com.
TG Branfalt:
I wish to thanks guys a lot for taking the time to come back on the present. I do know that you’re manning the store because it had been, and I do know that it’s a labor of affection, so I thanks for taking the time. I actually do recognize it.
William Ashabranner:
In fact. Thanks for having us.
TG Branfalt:
It’s Christie and William Asher Braner, house owners of Plattsburgh, New York based mostly dispensary on the Herb Cave.
