SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bud and Bloom, a 16-month-old medical marijuana dispensary, announced today it has received its license to sell recreational cannabis to adults 21 years and older with valid government identification. The facility, which was named one of the 10 most beautiful dispensaries by Leafly, a global cannabis information source, is one of the first in Orange County to become a legally licensed marijuana dispensary, although it has been operating successfully as a medical marijuana dispensary with increasing monthly patients served and gross incomes.
Bud and Bloom is a “next gen” cannabis business both in design and operations. It is the only dispensary in Orange County that does not employ armed security and opts instead to offer customers an open air shopping experience much like any other retailer.
“In most dispensaries, customers have to be buzzed in and walk past armed guards. It feels almost like walking into a prison,” said Jared Cox, Assistant General Manager of Bud and Bloom. “In our store, we’ve redefined the cannabis retail experience with bright, open windows. It’s inviting here. We also offer friendly Wellness Advisors, who are on staff to help customers make the right choices for their individual needs.”
One reason for the contrarian lack of security is that a major investor in the dispensary, Kyle Kazan, is a former Torrance police officer. Kazan believes that security is best served by the store’s extensive camera system and close coordination with the Santa Ana Police Department.
“Bud and Bloom is a legally licensed business,” he pointed out. “As such, if there is a problem, the store’s operators will do what any other retailer will do. They’ll call the police. It’s best that the store operate the way an Apple Store or Trader Joe’s would.”
Bud and Bloom currently carries 45-50 flower strains that vary on a daily and weekly basis accordingly to regulations and brand availability. The store also offers a 40 percent discount to first-time shoppers in either retail or medical sales. The discount covers two items in each category: Flower, vape cartridges, topicals, tinctures, edibles, and concentrates. There are no minimum sales requirements. The dispensary takes cash and credit cards. An ATM is available on site for customer convenience.
Bud and Bloom is the only dispensary in Santa Ana to offer the high CBD (Cannabidiol) strain “Jelly Fish” grown under the sun and ocean breeze of Santa Barbara’s Glass House Farms. Jelly Fish contains very low levels of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Instead, it contains a significant amount of CBD.
Graham Farrar, the operating partner of Glass House Farms, noted that “Jelly Fish is exactly what many people have been requesting. It won’t give you a ‘head high’ but instead focuses on the therapeutic benefits of CBD – pain management, anti-inflammation, and antitumorigenic effects. It’s a great fit for people looking to experience the medical benefits of cannabis.”
Bud and Bloom is expecting a surge in new customers given that medical recommendations are no longer needed to purchase its many products. There are more than 251 million visitors annually to California; 17 million alone visit nearby Disneyland.
The dispensary is located at 1327 East Saint Gertrude Place, Santa Ana, near Grand and Warner. Store hours are 9:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days a week. Ample parking is available in the store lot or on nearby streets.