Coquitlam has its first pot shop.
Imagine Cannabis was one of the last companies to get the OK from city council this summer to open a recreational cannabis shop.
Now, it has a retail store in Burquitlam Plaza, located under the Evergreen Extension and next to Shoppers Drug Mart.
Owner Harp Hoonjan said business is brisk at the 950 sq. ft. store, which displays its government-controlled products — beverages, edibles, oils, capsules vapes, flower and pre-rolls — on shelves turned around and in tables with front frosted panels, so customers on the outside can’t see what’s for sale inside.
The Burquitlam dispensary is the fifth for Imagine, a privately held company that also has stores in Vancouver, Tsawwassen, Ladner and Courtenay; it has plans to expand in the Lower Mainland, Hoonjan told the Tri-City News last Friday.
Imagine Coquitlam has five full-time staff and five part-time staff, and it is open daily.
Hoonjan said his team picked Burquitlam because it’s on the SkyTrain line and is a growing neighbourhood.
He also praised the city for waiting on its cannabis framework — two to three years after Port Coquitlam and Port Moody approved its policies — so that it could understand the market better.
“I think Coquitlam did a good job and has limited its stores to six in different neighbourhoods around the city,” Hoonjan said.
Other cannabis stores green-lighted by council this year are:
- The Local Leaf Cannabis (109-2957 Glen Dr.)
- KJ’s Best Cannabis (103-2700 Barnet Hwy.)
- Seed and Stone (512 Young Dr.)
- Brunette Cannabis Company (102-935 Brunette Ave.
- Northern Lights Cannabis (Unit B-1052 Austin Ave.)
The Liberal government legalized recreational cannabis use in October 2018.
Under the federal legislation, adults can have up to 30 grams of legally produced cannabis, as well as grow up to four cannabis plants per household.
