Inside Thrive

TIFFIN—After a little over a year of selling medical cannabis, Thrive Wellness (318 W. Market St.) opened for recreational sales. Seneca County's First dispensary, could be an indicator of economic growth for the area. Liz LeMaster is the store manager of Thrive's Tiffin location. She is proud of the hard work her team has done to make the transition to recreational sales. "The transition has been really fun. We're really excited to continue to grow as the word spreads and continue to educate as we get this plant into more people's hands." Ohioans voted to legalize recreational cannabis sales last November, with a 57% "yes" vote on ballot Issue 2. It's been a slow process of approvals, licenses and regulations since November. Thrive has a wide, well-curated menu and knowledgeable staff. LeMaster says Thrive's medical patients, who have used their State-Issued medical use cards to purchase cannabis since last year, are regulars. "They like the customer service we provide and the attention we pay to our menu." Ohio regulations require that every cannabis product sold must be processed and cultivated within the state. Ohio's rigorous testing and compliance rules mean that "There's not going to be a single thing available in our store that has not gone through state-certified testing for heavy metals, toxins and chemicals. Almost every brand has a QR code on the packaging where you can go to those test results yourself and verify. That's one of the better things about the folks of Ohio having the opportunity to shop at a dispensary is how much safer and how much more consistent the products are." Products are tested in a third-party laboratory and double-checked in-store by the Thrive Staff. Howard Schacter, chief communications officer of Thrive's Parent company, MariMEd, emphasized the safety of their cannabis products. He explained, "That's counter to the CBD market, where you can get CBD products at gas stations. That's unregulated so you don't really know what you're getting on the package." Thrive Wellness has transformed the building on W. Market Street, previously the Tiffin Family Video, into an elegant, welcoming space. Customers scan their ID at the front desk and then are guided through a set of frosted doors to an open room of display cases and glass tables. Schacter explained the audience for cannabis sales is wider than one might expect. He says, "A lot are about having fun but, at the core of it, the most prevailing reasons people use cannabis are: anxiety and stress relief, sleep and pain." Along with selling in-state products, Thrive is committed to hiring locally, as the law requires. Aaron Montz, president and CEO of the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership (TSEP), says, "I think it's good because it brings jobs here and allows our folks to keep their money locally. Anyone who's going to utilize this business is going to utilize it regardless, so I would rather have the dollars staying locally. Anytime you can keep business local, those dollars go a lot further than it does if you're spending it out of county or even out of state. Anytime you're bringing investment back into the community, putting a building that was closed back into use, it's a good thing. They spent a lot of money on the remodel, the security, the facility, all those dollars stayed local." LeMaster is originally from Southern Ohio and lives in Findlay. She brings nearly 10 years of hemp and cannabis retail experience to the Thrive Team. For her, it's a passion project. "I have been really blessed to watch this plant save and change people's lives in a way that I haven't seen a lot of other things do. I'll never forget when I see people who can't make a fist because they have such bad arthritis trying this plant and closing their hands for the first time in 20 years, just the look on their face is a really moving thing." With every new industry, there are challenges. The recreational cannabis industry still operates on the rules from Ohio's medical law. LeMaster and Schacter are constantly adjusting Thrive's offerings to stay within what is permitted. That means prioritizing the needs of medical patients over recreational customers and limited high doses of THC in products like edibles. Schacter's background is in commercial communications and advertising. He wants Thrive to be a good corporate citizen and hopes to find creative ways for Thrive to give back to the community. Ohio regulations on advertising are strict. An outsider to the cannabis industry, Schacter emphasizes his excitement for the opportunities this new industry can bring. He says dispensaries are not like liquor stores, with rows of shelves and hands-off customer service. "People who come in for the first time are astounded at the beauty of the store and at the level of education and empathy of the staff. Imagine what it was like to go to the liquor store for the first time when you're 18,21 and you see this sea of stuff. That's very intimidating. We're much more proactive about getting people on the right path with the right type of product, type of consumption and level of consumption. The Ohio Department of Commerce's "Cannabis Dispensary Map" online displays the 123 and growing recreational and medical dispensaries in Ohio. Nearly every county now has at least one dispensary. Montz explained, "It's probably a little far-fetched that people are going to come from too far away to visit. Out of town, yes, some of the rural parts of the county certainly… but I don't think it will have a significant impact on new visitors to the county." As far as other dispensaries within Seneca County, Montz said "There has been additional interest expressed to TSEP but there is nothing concrete." Any new dispensary wishing to open will have to obtain a license from the state, which is slow to come by. Thrive's transition was relatively easy. After they were approved for medical sales, they knew they were coming to Seneca County, and began touring appropriate spaces. Currently, TSEP is focusing on larger projects that will bring larger dollar amounts to the area. With a three person staff to cover more than 50,000 people and over 1,000 businesses in the county, Montz and his TSEP team have their work cut out for them. New projects could include new restaurants and new manufacturers. "Our job is so much fun but we don't get to divulge. We don't care about the credit, we know that people see all the cool things happening and that's good enough for us." As for Thrive, Montz hasn't heard any feedback from the public, good or bad. LeMaster says her validation comes from returning customers. "It can be very overwhelming and scary for some people, especially people who grew up when cannabis prohibition was really intense, it can be really jarring to come into a space like this," she said. "They really appreciate the time our people spend with them. They get what they're looking for so they come back. And then the next time, before you know it, we all know each other's names."