kind: What first attracted you to the cannabis industry and how did you get your start?
The POTery: Once federal legislation was passed to legalize cannabis in Canada, we saw it as an opportunity to create a safe place for cannabis enthusiasts in Brampton, Ontario as they would no longer have to worry about when, where or with whom a transaction would take place
k: What did you see in your early heady days and how has your perception of the legal industry changed as the industry matured?
TP: In our early days, we experienced challenges when trying to secure real estate in the Brampton area as many landlords we encountered were very disinterested in associating themselves with the budding cannabis store owners. However, as the industry develops in Brampton, it seems as if the stigma around recreational cannabis consumption is starting to fade and more people are opening their doors to cannabis entrepreneurs.
k: What product is your team most excited about?
TP: The products belonging to the cannaseur segment are the most exciting.
k: Explain to us what the cannaseur is, and why its different from everything else on the market?
TP: The cannaseur customers are those that try out new products in the market, looking for high quality that goes beyond high THC. With thousands of items available on the market, we use feedback from the community to guide our purchasing and carry the strains our customers desire.
k: What is your mission?
TP: The POTery is an independently-owned, licensed recreational cannabis store dedicated to providing accessibility, affordability and education to high-quality cannabis in our local Brampton, Ontario community. This will be delivered by our Potanists who ensure a consistently high degree of customer service each and every time a customer shops at The POTery.
k: What are The POTery’s short, medium and long-term plans?
TP: Short team plan – To support, educate local Bramptonians on cannabis, helping to diminish the historical and present day stigma around recreational cannabis consumption one day at a time.
Medium – Formally open the doors to our physical store location (whenever lockdown is over in our city) and let our customers enjoy the showroom with a wide variety of products ranging from flower, pre-rolls, edibles, vapes, beverages and concentrates.
Long term – To be the most preferred and loved retail cannabis dispensary for our Brampton community.
k: How has launching during COVID been?
TP: Like our carts, the experience is full spectrum. Launching during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a wild ride but a fun one to say the least. We definitely have learned a lot in a short amount of time including the ability to adapt quickly and make necessary changes on the fly. As an independently owned and operated dispensary new to the cannabis industry, restricted access to our customers face-to-face on a regular, consistent basis has taken a toll on us because we are not able to provide the full white glove service we would like to. I know our team looks forward to the days where our store showroom is filled with shoppers!
k: And lastly, look into your crystal ball: what will the retail experience in Canada look like at the end of this year?
TP: We are hopeful that the stigma currently attached to recreational cannabis will soon be a thing of the past as cannabis enthusiasts rally to spread awareness across the country. There are over 20 dispensaries that have been approved in Brampton which means the market will be thriving as well as our competition.
