Best Dispensary for a Connoisseur Colorado Harvest Company Multiple locations coloradoharvestcompany.com Colorado Harvest Company founder Tim Cullen, a former teacher, nearly sold his dispensaries a couple of years ago, but ulti- mately decided to keep running the show. We’re glad he did, because he’s solved the equation of good weed at low prices. Open since 2009, Colorado Harvest Company boasts some of the best dispensary menus in the country, selling everything from $100 ounces to some of the state’s most popular fl ower brands, including Cherry, Green Dot Labs, Locol Love and Snaxland. The internal grow is no slouch, either, regularly pumping out new strains to scratch that exclusivity itch so many cannabis collectors get. The concentrate lineup is just as stacked as the nursery, with extractions from 710 Labs, Green Dot, Olio and Soiku Bano priced as affordable payday treats. Show up with a modest budget at any of the chain’s three stores in Aurora or Denver, and you can still leave with one bountiful bag. Best Dispensary for a Tourist Solace Meds Multiple locations solacemeds.com Given how expensive concert tickets are, tour- ists deserve a good representation of Colorado cannabis when they visit. Solace Meds, a chain of dispensaries founded by former Denver Bronco Rod Bernstine, has all the fi xings of a well-stocked store that an experienced shop- per seeks, and you don’t have to drive to Mor- dor to get there. Locations on South Broadway and East Colfax Avenue are short trips for anyone who wants to stay in the action while visiting Denver, and the Solace Meds store in Wheat Ridge, right off Interstate 70, is a quick pit stop during a trip to the mountains (as is the Solace Meds store in Fort Collins for all you brewery day trippers). The fl ower and concentrate lineups, full of names like 14er, Cookies, LoCol Love and Veritas, are trust- worthy representations of Colorado cannabis. And unlike most stores with quality smoke- ables, Solace Meds has a vast treasure chest of edibles and vaporizer cartridges, so getting a sweet deal on an in-house chocolate bar or pre-rolled joints is a very attainable goal. Stock up, and leave the leftovers for us. 118 Best New Dispensary Callie’s Cannabis Shoppe 3054 Larimer Street 303-297-2273 shoppecallies.com For all of RiNo’s fi ne drinking options, good weed has been sorely lacking in the area. Thankfully, Callie’s Cannabis Shoppe of Northglenn took over the Botanico loca- tion at 30th and Larimer streets last year (along with another former Botanico dispensary in west Denver). The family- owned operations sell stanky buds from Colorado’s top gardens — Bloom County, Cuban Crew, Leiffa and Lemon Tree — as well as Callie’s own grow. Parking is easy to fi nd despite this store being a stone’s throw from Larimer’s popular watering holes, and those looking for a convenient purchase can usually fi nd a good deal on gummies or a caviar joint, then quickly resume their day of defying death on electric scooters. and even phenotypes of the same strain, so customers can choose which version of Holy Grail Kush they like best. There are more than enough edibles to satisfy an ap- petite, and Den-Rec’s selection of premium concentrates is right up there with those of South Broadway dispensaries. While you can aways visit Den-Rec’s other stores in south Denver or Lyons, you’re not losing anything by shopping in the heart of the city with this one. hands a few times over the years, but cur- rent ownership has created a good-enough menu to back up the visible location. Af- fordable and connoisseur buds are both at the ready, as are a deep edibles lineup and enough pre-rolls and vape cartridges to get every ski lift in Summit County high. Best Dispensary for Customer Service Maikoh Holistics 2750 Glenwood Drive, Suite 8, Boulder 720-476-6805 maikohholistics.com “Maiko” is the Japanese term for an appren- tice geisha in Japan who performs during feasts and makes visitors feel welcome. You won’t see the budtenders at Maikoh Holis- tics dancing a jig of any sort, but they will make you feel at home. The cannabis quality and prices are strong enough to prevent any harshing of your buzz, and the staffers add some good vibes, leaving you excited to try out your purchase but sort of sad to leave, too. It doesn’t matter if you’re indecisive, full of stupid questions or change your mind at the last second. You’ve got a friend in Maikoh. Best Dispensary Waiting Room The Herbal Cure 985 South Logan Street 303-777-9333 theherbalcure.net Dispensary waiting rooms wouldn’t exist at all if it were up to us. State laws mandate some sort of waiting area as budtenders serve one customer at a time, though, so props to the Herbal Cure for making the time fun and comfortable. The dispensary’s saltwater fi sh tank is large and lively enough to keep you occupied for a few minutes, and if that’s not enough, there’s a stack of coffee- table books about everything from dogs to street art that will pique interests. With any luck, the wait won’t be that long for some of south Denver’s best cannabis, but if you do get stuck there on a Sunday, you shouldn’t have any problem getting cozy. Best Dispensary Downtown Den-Rec 2117 Larimer Street 303-296-2093 den-rec.com Throw a rock across any street downtown, and you have a good chance of hitting a dispensary. Despite the options, however, most cannabis users tend to avoid down- town dispensaries, fearing high prices and low parking availability. Unless there’s a Rockies game, though, Den-Rec is a safe bet for an easy outing, and you won’t have to worry about missing out on the primo. The store’s cultivation likes to give custom- ers options, with classics like Blue Dream, popular in-house strains like Four Kings, Best Dispensary En Route to the Mountains Exit 243 Dispensary 2235 East Idaho Springs Road, Idaho Springs 303-880-6626 dispensaryexit243.com You can’t remember to pack everything for every trip to the mountains, but no big deal: There are dispensaries in resort towns. It’ll cost you, though, and they might not carry products you’re familiar with. Before it’s too late as you drive west on I-70 for the weekend, keep an eye out for Exit 243 Dispensary in Idaho Springs. This store, located right off the interstate and named after the nearby highway exit, has changed Best Selection at a Dispensary A Cut Above 1911 South Broadway 720-536-8965 a-cut-above-dispensary.business.site It’s best to check out A Cut Above’s menu on- line or make a to-do list before going into the dispensary, where you’ll fi nd more fl ower than at a Home Depot nursery. In fact, this place has more options than an Instagram model, and each one looks just as good or better than the next. Denver’s premier growers like to release their newest strains and harvests at A Cut Above, and eighths and quarters are always priced ahead of the curve. Few dispensaries in Colorado can match A Cut Above’s mix of exclusivity and affordability, continued on page 120 APRIL 7-13, 2022 WESTWORD | REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | SERVICES | EMPLOYMENT | CANNABIS & MORE | CLASSIFIED | westword.com GETTY IMAGES
