29 June 13th-June 19th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Stoned in Sunnyslope Story Cannabis to open new dispensary near Little Miss BBQ. BY CASSIE BRUCCI S tory Cannabis is expanding its Phoenix footprint. The multi-state cannabis company, which has locations in Arizona, Maryland and Ohio, will open its 11th Valley location on July 3. Located at 701 E. Dunlap Ave., the building is adjacent to Little Miss BBQ’s Sunnyslope location. According to a press release, the new store will serve adult-use consumers and medical patients and carry a wide selection of flower, edibles, tinctures and more. In August 2023, Story Cannabis acquired the licenses to four Nature’s Medicine loca- tions in the Valley. At the time, Nature’s Medicine had approval to build a new loca- tion in the Sunnyslope neighborhood. After the acquisition, Story Cannabis proceeded with construction, working for 10 months to ready the new store. Although CEO Jason Vedadi did not personally choose this location, he said he’s excited about the area’s potential. “It’s under-serviced, and more people are moving there,” Vedadi said. “Plus, there’s Little Miss next door, and that place is awesome.” What’s available? Vedadi said the new, approximately 3,000-square-foot location will feature a mix of local and national brands, like Stiiizy and Timeless Vapes, alongside three in-house brands including Fade Co., a concentrate brand, and Just Flower, which is exactly as the name suggests. “Just Flower” was suggested by an employee who was not on the company’s marketing team, Vedadi explained. The company had already conducted a full market analysis, complete with flashier naming options, when the employee said, “Why don’t we just call ‘Just Flower?’” Vedadi instantly gravitated toward the straightforward suggestion. “I always thought Payless Shoes was actually a very good brand name,” Vedadi said. “It wasn’t very sexy, but it told you what you were getting.” Just Flower remains Story Cannabis’ top seller, even against some of the national brands with larger footprints. “It’s simple, and people gravitate towards it,” Vedadi said. The in-store experience Vedadi described the interior of the new location as having a “comfortable, modern feel,” with merchandise lining the walls for greater customer visibility. But, he added, most of the in-store shopping experience comes from interac- tions with employees. He sees this as a way to differentiate when many dispensaries offer the same products. “It’s very similar to a local watering hole,” he said. “People have a neighbor- hood bar they go to, or that bartender they like, and they keep going back.” After checking in with a greeter, each guest gets paired with a budtender, an employee whose goal is to educate and answer questions. While this position is standard at most dispensaries, Vedadi refers to the budtender as potentially “the most impor- tant person in the entire business environ- ment.” His team is trained to provide suggestions for both medical and recre- ational purposes. For guests who prefer to skip the line, this location also offers online ordering with in-store pickup. Both online and in-store purchases are eligible for Story’s rewards program, which is offered at all locations. Story Cannabis Jason Vedadi, CEO, said the Sunnyslope neighborhood is under-serviced by dispensaries. (Photo courtesy of Story Cannabis) “Just Flower” is one of three house brands that will be available at the new Story Cannabis dispensary in Sunnyslope. (Photo courtesy of Story Cannabis) | CANNABIS |
