MUSKEGON, Mich. — Drive-thrus at dispensaries in Muskegon will soon be open until 2 am.
Prior to August 22nd, dispensaries in the city operate between the hours of 8 am and 12 am. Now, effective August 22nd, drive-thrus only will be open until 2 am.
WATCH: 'We are all trying': Muskegon Marijuana drive-thrus to stay open until 2 a.m.
Grassy Knoll, a Muskegon dispensary, helped make this change happen by applying to expand the hours of operation for marijuana businesses that have approved drive-thrus in the city.
"We are trying to find the best way to support the community and support every walk of life," said Grassy Knoll owner Fred Cini.
Cini explains that although only open for two extra hours, this change could make a real impact.
"People that work late shifts, afternoons and midnights, can now get their cannabis medication, whatever you want to call it, to help them deal with their everyday life," Cini said.
In order to amend this ordinance, Grassy Knoll went to Muskegon Planning Director Mike Franzak.
"We have heard in the past that they've had to turn people away at the door approaching midnight, so hopefully, with these increased hours, we won't have that issue anymore," Franzak said.
Franzak ultimately presented to the city commission for a final vote, which was approved on August 12th. Both Franzak and Cini agree that this is a competitive market.
"The market is pretty saturated with retailers, and the price of marijuana has been coming down over the past few years," Franzak said.
"Everybody thinks that cannabis is a huge money maker," Cini added. "Well, it hasn't been."
Cini emphasizes that competition can impact business.
"Obviously, that creates a lot of cash flow concerns that we are all trying to figure out the best way to survive," Cini said.
Additionally, the Michigan marijuana industry is experiencing a rollercoaster of fortunes since retail operations began in 2020.
The latest development comes from TerrAscend, a cannabis company that has announced the closure of all its locations in Michigan, citing an "extremely difficult market."
TerrAscend, which operates several cannabis stores in West Michigan, is part of a broader trend of market adjustments as businesses adapt to evolving consumer demands and increased competition. While significant players like TerrAscend exit the market, local experts argue that this shift does not reflect the entire picture.
Casey Kornoelje, founder and CEO of Pharmhouse Wellness in Grand Rapids, emphasized that smaller and more nimble businesses are succeeding despite the challenges. Kornoelje, who also serves on the board of the West Michigan Cannabis Guild, pointed to the robustness of independent operations in the current economic climate.
"Really for the folks that are smaller, independent, more nimble, I think that it's definitely doable, and we're doing fine and operating fine," Kornoelje said, highlighting the resilience of smaller cannabis enterprises.
Kornoelje praised local municipalities like Muskegon for expanding access to cannabis retail businesses. He believes these changes support small businesses and facilitate a stronger market overall.
"I think that's a wonderful example of a community listening to their businesses, listening to their constituents and supporting the small business," Kornoelje stated. "Clearly, there's issues within the market, and any little thing that a municipality can do to strengthen their operations, hey, that's great."
Kornoelje noted that municipal changes encouraging cannabis retail could lead to more thriving businesses, subsequently contributing to a larger tax base for local governments.
For more information on marijuana zoning ordinances, specifically in Muskegon, click here.
