Budding business
Blue Collar Criminals embracing paradox
Legal marijuana is a paradox Darin Delaney is eager to embrace. As the owner of Blue Collar Criminals in Oklahoma City, Delaney is building a brand that grows, processes and sells medical marijuana and marijuana products. He seeks to establish an inyour-face brand attitude while operating the business and providing products with clinical precision. “Our vibe is a paradox, everything is a contrast,” Delaney said. “The cannabis industry folks liked the name. ... It's kind of edgy.” The business is built upon vertical integration, with the company working to control all aspects of production from seed to consumption in an 11,000-square-foot facility at 1015 NW 1. A little less than $500,000 was invested to build out the facility to house the full operation. “Everything was designed to stay ahead of the curve,” Delaney said. “We will always have quality, and if that's what you're into then that's what we'll have.” Medical marijuana businesses throughout the state are taking different approaches to the new industry. Many are seeking to specialize in one area of the process, while fewer are working to operate along the whole supply chain. Not only is Blue Collar Criminals seeking total integration, but they are doing it in a single location. Medical marijuana customers enter on the southeast corner of the building, where they are greeted by a security guard. A waiting room with Blue Collar Criminal branded clothing for sale leads to another room with medical marijuana products, a similar setup to many dispensaries across the state. General Manager Chad Chandler runs the consumer side of the business, which has a trendy, modern feel to the shop.
But behind the scenes is a complex and comprehensive growth and processing operation that is still expanding. Som Kiani is a grower for the company, and he works to maximize the yield of marijuana plants being grown on premise. A current batch of plants is still growing, but will be cut and dried beginning in several weeks, Kiani said. Once dried, some of the product will be sold as bud while some is processed for use in other products. This also is done on site, an advantage to some medical marijuana operations who rely on outside processors. Delaney is a native of Oklahoma, but has spent time in the industry in California. Relative to California, operating in Oklahoma has been preferable, he said. “The state has been great because it is one of the more liberal for medical marijuana,” Delaney said. “There is not as much red tape.” He sells to medical card holders currently, but expects the country will fully legalize marijuana within five or so years. Until then, he's keeping track of what is and is not allowed in Oklahoma. “(Legislators) are going to have a hard time walking this back,” Delaney said. If, or when, the product becomes legal, Delaney hopes to have already become an industry leader. “Really just at the top of the food chain when it comes to cannabis in Oklahoma,” Delaney said.