The newest addition to the Athens dispensary list is The Landing Dispensary, which recently opened its seventh location in Ohio on 932 E. State St.
The new location is complete with a drive-thru for pickup orders and in-store shopping. Lindsay George, the general manager of the Athens Landing location, joined The Landing Dispensary team two years ago to open the Morgantown, West Virginia, location.
George was recently promoted to general manager in Morgantown and moved to Athens in March for the newest location.
“My favorite thing with The Landing is just the compassion and care that they have for not only their employees, but for the general public,” George said. “I love that part of my job, teaching and training and just being a leader.”
The store is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Drive-thru hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The dispensary’s cannabis, or flower, prices range between $8.50 to $105.60, depending on the quantity and brand of the product. Pre-roll prices range between $3.90 to $16.20, with edibles reaching $60. Other products include vaporizers, concentrates, tinctures, topicals, accessories and apparel.
The Landing Dispensary has a daily discount of 30% off of its first-party products and 20% off third-party products for veteran and indigent customers. For medical patients, there is a 20% discount if the customer places a pre-order, and 15% for walk-ins, according to the official website.
“Along with the other deals, we focus pretty heavily on offering a wide range of daily deals and discounts,” George said. “So whether people are value shoppers or looking for premium products, we have something for you, and one of our goals is to just make cannabis accessible without sacrificing quality.”
Other Ohio locations include Berea, Cleveland, Columbus, Monroe, Cincinnati and Huron.
“We just love the small town vibes and you know, modernness of Athens,” George said. “We really wanted to put our location there because we kind of feel like it aligns with our morals and values as a company.”
Open for nearly one month now, George said Athens’ residents responded positively to Landing’s services and products, and Ohio University students are a great clientele. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cannabis is the “most commonly used federally illegal drug” in the U.S., with 19% of Americans using it at least once in 2021.
“People really like the interior layout of our design, and they like that they can work one-on-one with a bud-tender, and they're not strictly stuck to going to a kiosk,” George said.
George said bud-tenders, people serving customers in a marijuana establishment, make The Landing stand out.
“We always want to help people get the relief and stuff they need because cannabis is primarily a medicine for a lot of people,” George said. “So, we take a lot of pride in helping medical and recreational people get the outcome they would like from cannabis.”
Ashley Hall, the lead customer experience representative for The Landing, said the dispensary’s environment is upbeat and welcoming in a statement.
“I enjoy working at The Landing because it is incredibly rewarding to connect with people and help them find exactly what they need in their day-to-day lives,” Hall said.
Kelsey Thompson, an inventory supervisor at the dispensary, said she hopes to see people visiting its new location in Athens.
“Being with The Landing has given me the opportunity to do something that is near and dear to me,” Thompson said. “Giving people a hospitable guide through cannabis.”
George said the most popular product right now is flower, although vaporizers come in close second, especially for cannabis users who prefer a more "convenient" or “discreet” option.
“It's really awesome to give other people the opportunity to find their dream job, or even if they don't do this for the rest of their lives, being able to give people opportunity and see their eyes light up and just get to experience something different,” George said.
