LANSING, Mich. — The cannabis business in Lansing is soon going to be taken to another level. People will be able to consume it at four cannabis lounges in the city.
Edgewood Wellness on Lansing’s southside is one of them.
“When the city of Lansing said they were going to allow it, we were very excited to have the opportunity to apply and very fortunate to be at the front end of the development of the consumption lounge,” said Jeffrey Hank. He is a co-owner of Edgewood Wellness, which has been a cannabis retail and is now adding a lounge with an event space, a coffee shop, as well as private rooms for work or small gatherings. “We really look forward to the opportunity to bring this to the south side of Lansing,” Hank said.
The city approved four businesses, one in each of the city’s four wards, to have cannabis lounges. Rehbel Industries got approved for Ward 1, Edgewood Wellness for Ward 2, Common Citizen for Ward 3, and Downtown Capitol for Ward 4.
“A consumption lounge concept is pretty new in the United States,” Hank said. “It's inspired by the Amsterdam style coffee shop, and we hope to bring it here. It'll be one of the first places in Michigan that have not only a cannabis store, but a coffee shop type area where people can get a good beverage, but also sit and relax and hang out with friends or do some work for the day and sit in a little different environment.”
Hank said he envisions some of the space as a possibility for company meetings, birthday parties, special events, small concerts, or karaoke nights. They will also showcase artists and have an art gallery.
City Clerk Chris Swope said cannabis businesses have benefited the city in many ways.
“We have seen a lot of improvements to existing buildings, some of which were very dilapidated, and we've seen some jobs produced,” Swope said.
At the end of the 2021 fiscal year, Lansing had 16 licensed marijuana retail facilities. Since they are located in Lansing, the city just received $903,255 in marijuana tax revenue from the state of Michigan.
“We are seeing this additional revenue from the state from the tax collection the state makes, that comes back to the city as a percent of the tax that is collected,” Swope said. “It is based on the number of retail establishments that we have here in the city.”
Since the end of the 2021 fiscal year, 16 additional businesses have been approved, including 12 retail businesses and micro businesses, which are grow and retail facilities all in one. This means a total of 32 establishments would qualify for revenue sharing. The lounges are not included in that, but they should provide a safe environment for cannabis consumption.
“It’s my ultimate hope that this is a safe industry that provides well-paying jobs for folks in Lansing,” Swope said. “I hope that the black market continues to shrink. We want a safe, regulated legal marked and want to eliminate the black market in marijuana.”
The lounges still have to finish building out their facilities and get a state license before they can receive their actual license here in Lansing.
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