Fitting the ‘vibe’
CBD cannabis shop coming to Plaza District
Sometimes when it comes to social media, a tweet is just a tweet. But sometimes the volume can escalate quickly, and that’s just what happened when I shared a photo of a banner indicating a CBD cannabis oil store was set to open in the building that was home to the beloved Collected Thread shop.
It wasn’t exactly what I expected when I had been told the building would remain retail oriented, especially with the sort of business we’ve seen open up everywhere in the metro, from suburban Edmond to upscale Nichols Hills to the urban core of Oklahoma City.
My questions had nothing to do with the debate over medical marijuana, but some folks took it that way. Other readers, including area residents, questioned whether the CBD store would detract from the quirky, artsy mix of shops, restaurants and performing arts venues that line NW 16 between Classen Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Add store owner Todd Collins to the list of those who are unsure about what’s really going on with the influx of CBD signs popping up all over the metro. Some, he says, are being operated as head shops while others are opening up as a pretense to selling medical marijuana when recently passed State Question 788 goes into effect.
“We do have a bunch of people who saw an opportunity when the law was passed to sell stuff that isn’t fit for human consumption,” Collins said. “And they’ll be selling stuff that ends up with people testing positive at their jobs and wondering why. And their response, ‘Oh hey, sorry, it’s a false-positive. Oh
well. And good luck with your next job.’”
Collins is also the owner of the CBD shop preparing to open next month and was gracious when I visited with him Friday after a single tweet turned into a debate over the Plaza District and CBD shops.
“I understand the stigma around those places,” Collins told me. “I’ve seen them all. And that’s why I want to go the other way.”
Collins admits, state and federal laws do little when it comes to regulating CBD oil, adding “I could literally pour motor oil into the product and tell you it’s CBD oil. As long as nobody gets sick and dies, who will know? The sad thing is CBD oil is such a help for the people it works for, it’s miraculous, it’s life changing.”
I asked in advance of our visit, with so many CBD shops opening across the metro, how would this one add anything at all to keeping the Plaza District a destination and ensuring it’s local, artsy and offbeat vibe stays intact.
It’s then that he shared the plans and renderings for his shop that show retail space for skin care, bath, beauty and cosmetics, organic foods, pet products, essential oils and jewelry.
A kitchen area is already set up to be converted into squeezed vegetable and juice bar — served with and without CDB.
He intends to share a grassy lawn behind the shop with a nearby yoga studio.
“Our overall vision is health, beauty and wellness,” Collins said. “The people who will come to us will be those looking for a solution to a real problem, whether it’s pain, sickness, anxiety, panic attacks or sleep problems. To me, those are real problems.”
Collins also promises his shop will exceed the standards (or lack of) exhibited by other CBD shops opening up all over town thanks to his experience working at Integris, which was using CBD oils.
“I knew whatever they were buying had to be of good quality,” Collins said. “I did some research to see who they were buying from. I found the lab, I saw their third-party independent testing, and I know for a fact that what they are selling is the best you can buy. It’s 100 percent natural, 100 percent organic, no GMOs, no synthetics, no additives, pharmaceutical grade, and it’s THC-free.”
Collins said his store will post the lab results on the wall and will provide customers with a phone number to call the laboratory to confirm the information.
In the meantime, he advises not to get caught up on the name on the banner.
By going a different route, he knows branding is a challenge and has hired a firm to help create a name that conveys the vision of combining CBD oils with organic products and a wellness boutique.
“We’re not placeholder for a marijuana dispensary,” Collins said. “Our goal is sincerely to help people with real issues like anxiety, depression, PTSD, epilepsy, cancer, and to really help them. The product we’re selling will be the best you can get.”