This dispensary is changing the cannabis retail experience from top to bottom, and bucking the odds that businesses cannot thrive in the cannabis space in 2022. The Artist Tree is an art gallery that just so happens to be a cannabis dispensary and offers one of the most unique shopping experiences for consumers.
Between helpful budtenders, education, and beautiful settings, The Artist Tree offers a friendly atmosphere that also makes them stand out from the competition. The dispensary also offers unique and stunning art pieces for sale, with all of the money going to the artist themselves, and even a cultivation tube where guests can learn about the plant, and even take a clone home with them.
See how they brought their business idea to life and try something similar in your store to see how your customers respond:
- Incorporate an Innovative Concept
- Put a Focus on Personal Customer Connections
- Hire Experienced Employees
Incorporate an Innovative Concept
One of the reasons The Artist Tree stands out from other dispensaries is because of their innovative art-focused concept. In each of their locations throughout California, they highlight local artists and provide them with a forum for selling their works of art. They rotate artwork quarterly in each location so that the store aesthetic changes and there is always something new and exciting for customers to explore.
In order to make your dispensary stand out from others in your area, you can also find a specific niche or innovative concept to incorporate into your shop. Maybe you can put a bigger focus on education, or sell unique smoking accessories — give shoppers a reason to come into your store rather than another one selling the same products.
Put a Focus on Personal Customer Connections
“Our ownership team believes that providing a warm, welcoming environment and really getting to know our customers is the most important aspect of operating a successful cannabis business,” Courtney Caron, Co-Onwer of The Artist Tree’s Fresno location, said. “No matter how beautiful or unique a store is, at the end of the day, customers walk away remembering the interactions with our team members and their shopping experience. Because of this, we focus heavily on creating an inviting experience with a wide array of products so that all types of visitors will feel comfortable and excited.”
Especially for smaller, independently owned cannabis dispensaries, this is their specialty. You get to see firsthand the customers who come in on a regular basis, who are new to the area or new to your store, and those who are looking to get started with something new. Putting an emphasis on making those personal customer connections can really make your dispensary stand out from the competition.
Hire Experienced Employees
The Artist Tree is also successful because their team is hands-on and includes cannabis industry professionals with more than 15 years of experience operating licensed dispensaries. This is a critical part to running any business, let alone a dispensary, because your customers are going to expect answers to their questions. If your employees do not know the industry well enough or how your products are made, it will leave a bad taste in the shopper’s mouth and they may never come back.
By creating a truly unique business model, any dispensary can thrive in a highly competitive market. Take some of these tips from The Artist Tree and try incorporating something similar in your store.