Two SLO cannabis retailers cleared to open 

Two cannabis retailers have been approved to do business in the city of San Luis Obispo—while a third lost its chance after failing a background check.

Natural Healing Center and Megan's Organic Market—both local brands—received conditional-use permits for their respective projects from the city Planning Commission on Nov. 13, clearing their final hurdles to open brick-and-mortar stores in city limits.

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• Rendering Courtesy Of The City Of Slo
• ON ITS WAY It won't be another six months or so until Natural Healing Center opens its cannabis dispensary in SLO (rendered here), as the company is remodeling two buildings and combining two lots on Broad Street.

SLO's first-ever dispensaries will be located at the former site of Mission Thrift on Broad Street (Natural Healing Center) and the former site of Drum Circuit on Higuera Street (Megan's Organic Market).

But consumers shouldn't expect to kick off the new decade with a trip to a cannabis shop in SLO; neither has its doors opened yet. And they won't for another four to six months. Natural Healing Center is combining two lots and has two buildings that require extensive remodels.

"The process is definitely a long process," said Nick Andre, Natural Healing Center's chief operating officer. "We got through the biggest hurdles. Now there's a lot of site improvements that have to be done. We still have a ways to go."

The third chosen retailer in SLO (the city is only allowing three in total), Elemental Wellness, failed its background check at the SLO Police Department. Taking its place for the third store is SLOCal Roots, which is in the background check phase right now.

Andre said the background check was the most time-consuming part of the permitting process.

"SLO made their decision [to allow cannabis stores] quickly, but after that everything moved really slow and most of it had to do with the background checks," Andre said.

City Manager Derek Johnson told New Times that the city is excited to welcome the new cannabis businesses and has tried to balance efficiency and thoroughness in the process. For those fully approved, he said, "I'd love them to be open tomorrow." Δ