BANGOR, Mich. — John Shipkosky welcomed several new customers to his dispensary The Green Door on Monday.
His medical marijuana business has been around on Monroe Street for a few years, he said. However, with recreational marijuana sales now allowed in Bangor many new people walked through his doors.
“They’ve been very excited. They’ve been very happy like kids in a candy store,” Shipkosky said during an interview with FOX 17. “They’ve been coming in, they're smiling, giggling, [saying] ‘I’ll take this, I’ll take that.’”
He said customers were asking a lot of questions all day. During the day, several customers walked in in small groups. However, by 6 p.m. a few small lines formed outside.
“We expected to have a heavy traffic presence,” said Bangor Police Chief Tommy Simpson. “So far everything’s ran smoothly.”
Chief Simpson said prior to Monday they planned on increasing patrol in the area with their own officers and a few deputies with the county.
However he said there ‘didnt appear to be any issues at all.' Additionally, he hasn’t heard many residents complain about it.
“I don’t see any concerns at all,” Chief Simpson said. “When the medical part came here, the town was really receptive to it and it was approved by our council.”
Roma’s Pizza, a popular restaurant across the street from The Green Door, pitched a tent and set up tables, pizza boxes and a cash register in front of the dispensary. The clerk said they’re doing it for recreational marijuana and ultimately benefiting from all the new foot traffic in the area.
“We got a lot more people coming through the door,” Shipkosky said. “Just cardholders before. And, now anybody walking down the street can come in and buy marijuana if they’d like. So it’s a big step.”
