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Date: 5/16/2023
MONSON — Although it can’t be proved, 399 Boston Rd. may have been a destination location, drawing guests to its doors from other locales for being the only business of its kind within the area, and Dazed Cannabis plans to ride on that legacy with a different kind of service.
Dazed recently made the decision to lease the property with the intention of opening a marijuana dispensary within what they term a landmark club and will not only be the first legal cannabis business in Monson, but also the only one within an 8-mile radius, or roughly 20 minutes travel in every direction.
The company zeroed in on this real estate, formerly occupied by the Magic Lantern strip club, for its already well-known location, heavy traffic, and the opportunity to be the first dispensary to serve the local public which spans several towns, said Ryan McCollum, a political and community affairs consultant and part-owner of the Monson location.
Dazed opened a dispensary in Holyoke about a year and a half ago, McCollum said, and “has done well there despite some serious competition on our doorstep. There are three other stores within a half mile of us.” McCollum said Holyoke is not a limited jurisdiction license location, meaning a greater number of marijuana businesses are allowed to operate, providing no scarcity of competitors.
In this environment where thriving can be a challenge, McCollum said the company has an edge in several ways. “[We are] aggressive with branding and marketing. We also make sure when someone comes through the door our customers are treated well,” McCollum said, adding the in-store experience is very different than anywhere else he has been in the state.
“So often when I tell a person I’m a dispensary owner they comment on the saturation of the market here in Massachusetts. They are not entirely wrong but it does remind me of how grateful I am about how deliberate my partners and I were on positioning ourselves to not only stay competitive but to flourish among competition,” said Rich Rainone, part owner along with two other individuals.
Chris Vianello, another co-owner and the head of marketing said, “What we do as a company is driven by the idea that just because we’re compliant doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to be fun. One of our biggest challenges is making sure we don’t come across as stuffy or allow people to come away with having had not a good experience, it should be fun, relaxed, comfortable, and calm.” Rainone and Vianello have been business partners for 19 years.
“We do a ton to get folks to recognize our brand, associate it with a certain lifestyle and then get them to the doors, at that point we are very meticulous about the customer experience,” said Keshawn Warner, who is also part-owner. Warner is in command of information technology and systems and operates out of Harlem, New York.
While New York City might seem far away for a co-owner to operate from, McCollum revealed Dazed just opened a store in Manhattan.
“We’ve been open in NYC for a little over two weeks since April 19. Dazed is one of four licensed dispensaries in Manhattan and that shows the wherewithal this company has. We’re not a fly by night operation,” McCollum said.
The company makes it clear there is a strong foundation of partnership, marketing, and positive customer experience curation, which they say they will be bringing to their Monson location. Another master key to the door of success for the company is their cannabis menu, which along with the attention to making patrons feel great about their time shopping with the brand, is one of the main reasons for their success, McCollum said.
Vianello and McCollum said their menu is “very good,” with a consistently rotating variety of product and new options being introduced all the time. Staying on top of new products in the industry, paying attention to quality, knowing what clients want, and keeping stores stocked with fresh, leading-edge options all serve to create a very competitive menu, McCollum said.
Convenient hours serve to set Dazed apart from other stores, McCollum said. McCollum said being open longer, earlier, and later than other businesses offer customers the convenience to shop on their schedule. Dazed plans to bring these hours to Monson with dispensary hours set potentially for 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Having set the stage for all they can bring to Monson, Dazed owners said they are “really, really excited,” and look forward to getting to know the area and their customers in a new territory.
McCollum said the building will be completely renovated with a nod to its past in a few design elements. Otherwise, he said they are cultivating a chill vibe with their signature fun and welcoming store atmosphere.
Monson and surrounding area residents will serve as a guide to organically develop the unique feel of the new location, along with a lot of employee-led initiatives, McCollum said.
“We want to get a feel for what folks in Monson like and are letting the market dictate what is cool, we will be trying different things, and we are really looking forward to coming in and seeing what Monson likes,” McCollumn said. “One of the things we do well is that we are open to collaborations with local folks and musicians and artists.”
Dazed is looking to involve local flavor and is open to whatever that might end up being, the owners said.
Additionally, Dazed will provide a source of employment and, the owners hope, bring in customers from all over, positively impacting the area as a whole.
With intentions of employing up to 25 full-time employees at the new location, Dazed owners said they offer a suite of employee benefits and may also have some part-time positions available. Competitive pay and salaried employment is on the table as well.
Dazed is scheduled to open in September, but the owners allow that this timeline may change. McCollum said they plan to host several kick-off events and a grand opening ribbon cutting once approved to start doing business by the Cannabis Control Commission.