Weedology owner Teresa Erlebach reaches out to embrace Ontario Community Development Director Dan Cummings. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)
ONTARIO — A ribbon cutting Thursday morning confirms Weedology as the first marijuana retailer in Ontario.
“We’re welcoming Weedology to the community just like any other business,” Dan Cummings, Ontario community development director, said in his remarks.
The store will be open for sales at 9 a.m. Friday, July 26. Customers will enter the waiting room, sign in with a valid ID and wait to get called into the sales floor “like the DMV,” said Eric Lantz, Weedology manager. Keeping a controlled number of people in the sales room maintains order and allows the team to help everyone individually.
While marijuana is legal in the state of Oregon, possessing marijuana in Idaho remains illegal and can have severe penalties. Weedology can sell to customers over 21 with a valid license, regardless of where they live.
“We just don’t speak about where they’re going,” Stephanie Lang, Weedology inventory specialist, said about selling to out of state customers.
John Breidenbach, Ontario Chamber of Commerce president (left), chats with Weedology manager Eric Lantz (right) before the ceremonial ribbon cutting on the morning of Thursday, July 25. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)
Eric Lantz, Teresa Erlebach and Stephanie Lang, all of Weedology, cut the ribbon in front of the Weedology team and Ontario Chamber of Commerce board members. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)
Immediately after the ribbon cutting Weedology employees went inside the store to start setting up products in preparation for Friday, the first day of sales. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)
Glass pipes and other smoking accessories are laid out in one of the shop display cases. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)
The walls of the sales floor are lined with jars that will hold different kinds of flower. Manger Eric Lantz said that the marijuana store will carry indica, sativa and hybrid strains. The different strains and categories of marijuana can result in different highs. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)
Eric Lantz gives the Weedology team members a pep talk before the ribbon cutting. At the end of his talk the employees huddle for a group “Weedology!” exclamation. (The Enterprise/Isabella Garcia)