Selling More Than Cannabis This Holiday Season

It’s the holidays, as you may know. Even though this holiday season is overshadowed with the
realities of the pandemic and its societal impacts, it should still be a time of giving, charity and
overall neighborly behavior.

That observation is especially true for Pleasantrees as a newly arrived cannabis company in Hamtramck, Michigan; a storied municipality existing within the bounds of Detroit-proper. As a cannabis company in Michigan’s recently legalized market, we are not simply selling cannabis. We are also selling cannabis culture, cannabis users and ourselves to society as a whole. Every positive interaction, new customer and broken down stereotype furthers the goal of ending societal stigmatization and the discrimination of cannabis users. Conversely, every negative interaction, regulatory snafu and instance of division perpetuates the “us v. them” mentality that motivated these past several decades of mistreatment and misunderstanding. In this way, the future of cannabis and its overall acceptance in society rests squarely upon the shoulders of dispensary, provisioning center and/or retail establishment operators, as they are the public face of the legalized cannabis industry. Accordingly, Pleasantrees feels an immense sense of responsibility to demonstrate good corporate citizenry, be grateful for our company’s blessings and try to help those less fortunate in any way we can.

The reality of that obligation is all the more prominent in Hamtramck, a municipality that has been divided by the opening of Pleasantrees’ recreational, adult-use retail establishment (not actually a dispensary) at 2238 Holbrook Avenue. In the several weeks since opening, we’ve heard numerous suggestions that our business will burden the neighboring community with a parade of horribles typically presented by those opposing licensed marijuana outlets. Accordingly, Pleasantrees is now front and center in an instance of Hamtramck social discourse that mirrors the broader cannabis discussion presently occurring on a national level.

For all these reasons, we are working hard to be good neighbors and reflect positively upon the cannabis community. We’re also trying to spread a little holiday cheer when and however we can. For instance, we gave our fifteen closest Hamtramck neighbors holiday gift bags from the Detroit Basket Company. In addition to Michigan-made treats of all types, each had a $50 prepaid credit card so our neighbors could go all-out on Thanksgiving (if that is their thing). Additionally, we made a donation to Friendship House, a Hamtramck community resource and soup kitchen needing all the help it can get in these troubled times.

Finally, our own Chief Security Officer, Eric Mack, grew up in Hamtramck and his family has kept some very exciting local artifacts for many years. One of the coolest ones is the Joseph Campau street sign which is 100 years old. Pleasantrees and Mr. Mack’s family donated that important piece of local history to the Hamtramck Historical Museum to ensure it is available for all to enjoy. In addition, Pleasantrees’ Hamtramck location was the site of the old Polish Army Veterans’ Association. Prior to our arrival, the site had been abandoned for nearly two decades. During renovations, we found the original association emblem and made sure to give that to Mr. Kowalski, the Museum’s director, as well. Mr. Kowalski was awesome, and we have plans to feature other of the Museum’s artifacts at our retail location on a rolling basis in hopes of driving additional interest and traffic towards the Museum.

We are not discussing our recent good deeds to obtain flippant praise. Quite the opposite, this missive is intended to set a standard we plan to meet going forward, year-round, rain or shine. We also hope to inspire others to find creative and meaningful ways to support one another during this atypical holiday season. And, most of all, if you are a cannabis company, a caregiver, an activist or a once-in-a-while consumer, we are posting this to remind you to be good, and do good, because the world is watching. The sooner we can disprove the false narrative, the sooner we can ensure that the persecution of cannabis users will be a thing of the past, hung on a museum wall as a reminder of the sacrifices so many people made on the road toward legalization and acceptance.

Happy Holidays & Stay Pleasant.