The cannabis industry has grown steadily since recreational marijuana became legal in the State of Washington about six years ago. What that means is you can freely purchase cannabis-related products without having to drive too far, no matter where you happen to reside in the state.
Marysville saw its first such retailer set up shop in August, when Remedy Tulalip opened the doors to its expansive new store. Wholly owned by the Tulalip Tribes, the outlet is a full-service facility that stocks a wide variety of products.
Customer service the key to success
Remedy’s general manager, Doug Boon, brought with him 20 years’ experience in the hotel and hospitality industry, as well as in tribal business management. He knows that legalizing cannabis has created a highly competitive marketplace, which can be great for the end user. But his background tells him it’s still primarily about customer service.
“The consuming public out there has a lot of opportunity to shop around,” Boon says. “Where you really differentiate yourself is in that positive experience you provide when guests walk in the door: if you give them that, then they will return. Price is important, too, but we want you to have the best experience possible.”
Knowledgeable staff help guide guests
Remedy hired people with retail cannabis experience to get the outlet up and running. But Boon says ongoing product education for employees and research into the medicinal potential for cannabis will help staff broaden their knowledge and be able to better help guests navigate the multitude of products available.
Where the “cannabis consultant” service offered by Remedy works well to guide guests who may be canna-tourists, roughly 85-90 per cent of guests know exactly what they’re looking for, Boon says. Many order online then come in for pickups, and for them, speed of service is important. As such, Remedy has worked hard to streamline the buying process in-store for such guests.
Other reasons to stop by Remedy Tulalip:
- The Remedy Rewards membership program enables regular guests to receive discounts and special deals
- Serving military and veterans, people with any Tribal Card, and those over 50 qualify for a 10-per-cent discount
- Remedy Tulalip works closely with more than 50 suppliers to provide a wide variety of cannabis and related products.
From a community standpoint, the store is expected to produce other benefits as a result of its operations.
“What we’re hoping is that earnings from the sale of recreational cannabis can fund other initiatives for the tribes,”Boon says. “We make sure that the money that is earned goes back into helping address problems of addiction on and off the reservation.”
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To find out more visit remedytulalip.com or stop by the store on 34th Avenue NE, between Home Depot and Walmart.
