Bloom Dispensary, located at 9 W. Stimson Ave., recently opened its doors to Athens customers and students, making this Bloom’s seventh location in Ohio.
Bloom is available for anyone with a medical marijuana card or those 21 and older, and offers over 25 different vendors, including its own brands. All of its products are sourced from within Ohio, in accordance with state laws. They offer a wide selection of products, from flower, vapes, pre-rolls, edibles and more.
Athens has three dispensaries located in the county, and also has a multitude of smoke shops, but with an executive order signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, starting Oct. 14, only licensed dispensaries can sell intoxicating hemp.
Intoxicating hemp includes delta-8-THC and delta-9-THC, created by manipulating legal, non-intoxicating hemp in an attempt to replicate the high from marijuana.
The ban lasts 90 days, and has the possibility of being expanded, meaning smoke shops, gas stations and other retailers with intoxicating hemp on the shelves after Oct. 14, will receive a fine of $500 each day they are available for purchase.
With this ban, more Ohio citizens will be frequenting dispensaries and obtaining medical cards. With Bloom’s new arrival, students and locals have a new location to obtain regulated, legal products.
Bloom Dispensary did not wish to comment on the 90-day THC ban.
Kody Miller, general manager of the Athens Bloom Dispensary, said he would describe Bloom as professional, relaxed and inclusive. He said Bloom decided to come to Athens because they did not have any southern Ohio locations before, and the proximity to OU’s campus is convenient for students.
The store is an open concept, with no waiting rooms or separate spaces for check-in and pick up.
“At bloom, our goal is to create a warm, welcoming environment where every visitor feels at ease, whether they're exploring cannabis for the first time or they're seasoned enthusiasts,” Miller said. “We also pride ourselves on fast, friendly service with a high knowledge routine that takes the time to understand each other's needs and guide people towards our products.”
Nick Richendollar, a customer of Bloom, said employees were knowledgeable and helpful and are able to point one in the right direction for a specific need or product.
There will be a drive-thru for Bloom in the near future, which Richendollar said will be convenient for the location.
“I've been coming to dispensaries around Athens for a few years now, and this one, I think, is set up a little bit better than the others,” Richendollar said. “When it comes to being recreational, it's more open for people to come in, less feeling like a doctor's office, more so like catering to your experience as like a recreational customer.”
Richendollar said its prices are similar to other dispensaries in the area, but the promotional deals and customer service make Bloom stand out to him.
“Sometimes there's like a two for $50, or a buy one, get one, that makes it end up being cheaper than the other two (dispensaries),” Richendollar said. “Compared to the other (dispenseraries), a lot of the ones I've gone to, they don't really talk to you very much, and I'm a yapper.”
Miller said its most popular products are flower and vapes, but its specials are “top notch.” The price of vapes is about $22 - $60, pre-rolls $9 - $36, edibles $4 - $101 and flower from a range of $16 - $181. These prices depend on the amount of product being purchased, as well as the brand and one’s status as either a medical marijuana card owner or adult user.
Products listed only for medicinal use were generally cheaper than products available for adult use. Miller said customers with a medical card, as well as those with veteran or indigent statuses on their profile, get daily 30% off deals. Its website also had numerous deals for vapes, edibles and other products.
Brennan Triplett, a first-time customer, said Bloom’s products are generally cheaper after looking online at other dispensaries' online shops.
“I like how they do the free gifts and all that,” Triplett said. “The other dispensaries around here don't really do that, and I've noticed they've jacked the price up, the dispensaries have. But this one, I feel like it's really nice.”
Morgan Sams, another customer of Bloom, said it is nice to have another dispensary in Athens, and it seem to be doing all right, according to him.
“They’re gonna blow everyone else out of the water,” Sams said. “Actually, since they opened, I haven't gone anywhere else.”
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