Since the legalization of recreational cannabis in late 2018 (and even before), dispensaries of all kinds have popped up across the Lower Mainland. Cannabis is now more accessible than ever, but the customer experience falls short more times than not. One thing is for certain – not all cannabis shops are playing in the same league.
It seems like many dispensaries operate out of dark shoeboxes or narrow hallways, selling products behind a single long counter. The staff in these shops tend to know their stuff, but it isn’t always the most welcoming environment for newcomers. With a less-than-inviting atmosphere combined with minimal attention to design, décor, and a pleasant shopping experience, the typical cannabis dispensary is one you’ll want to exit as soon as you’ve made your purchase.
That’s where Cheeky’s saw an opportunity.
The Cheeky’s Mission
Before we opened the doors to our original Maple Ridge location in 2020, Cheeky’s has been on a mission to de-stigmatize the world of cannabis. Legalization pushed cannabis closer to the mainstream, but a stigma around cannabis culture and consumption persisted, leftover from decades ago. That resulting stigma makes the idea of cannabis dispensaries intimidating to some – especially those new to the world of cannabis. And even frequent cannabis users feel the gaze of that stigma, preferring to consume products in solitude or strictly with other cannabis users, for fear of judgement.
At Cheeky’s Cannabis Merchants, our plan was to de-stigmatize cannabis with a few key strategic decisions related to the physical location. Down below, we’re going to outline the major factors that have helped Cheeky’s separate ourselves from the herd, fulfill our mission, and become not your average dispensary:
The Shopping Environment
The shopping environment was the central focus in our mission of de-stigmatizing cannabis. We knew that if we could design a space people actually wanted to shop in and hang around, we’d be miles ahead of the competition.
When embarking on the journey of designing the most welcoming shopping environment among cannabis shops on the Lower Mainland, we focused on creating a space that was clean, bright, safe, and well decorated. And we followed through – when you approach any Cheeky’s location today, you’ll notice a few things:
1. Location. We selected the locations for our shops to ensure people felt comfortable not only in them, but outside of them. Our shops have dedicated parking spots, a sidewalk, and are part of shopping complexes next to local restaurants recognized brands like Shopper’s Drug Mart and Anytime Fitness.
2. Clean and Bright. When you enter a Cheeky’s shop, you’ll probably notice a stark contrast with other dispensaries you’ve been inside. Our shops are big, bright, clean, and spacious, resembling more of a coffee shop than a typical dispensary.
3. Décor. The décor in each Cheeky’s location is unlike any other. We’ve dedicated ourselves to sourcing unique artifacts, light fixtures, and decorations (including a vintage Volkswagen Beetle!) that helps make Cheeky’s a desirable place to be and shop in.
We Have Cannasseurs – Not Just Staff
Our budtenders, known as Cannasseurs, are the other piece of the equation that help create the best shopping experience in the business. They’re the most important part of a shopping environment that’s truly welcoming to all – newcomers or lifelong stoners.
It all starts with supreme product knowledge. Our Cannasseurs know our product line like the back of their hand, and it helps that they’ve tried most (or all) of it. They’ll be able to provide specific recommendations based on not only your preferred consumption method, but the feeling you desire. Our Cannasseurs are also known for their welcoming attitude and embodying the Cheeky’s mission. We’re here to help you first, and we’re committed to providing a comfortable shopping experience.
As a Cheeky’s customer, you have access to personalized advice, and a wide selection of cannabis flowers, edibles, and concentrates, plus plenty of locally sourced BC products.
Herbside Pickup
You might’ve heard of Curbside Pickup – but let us introduce you to Herbside Pickup, where you can pick up high-quality cannabis products without having to leave the comfort of your vehicle. Herbside Pickup is a relatively new service provided by Cheeky’s, designed to make our products more accessible and transactions safer while saving you time.
It works like this – first, browse our digital cannabis menu and place your order on our website. You’ll then receive a text message once your order has been gathered and is ready for pickup. Then, drive to Cheeky’s and park in one of our dedicated Herbside Pickup spaces. From there we’ll come right out to your car – all you must do is have your ID ready as well as your payment method if you haven’t paid already.
A service like Herbside Pickup is super valuable for times like the pandemic era we just went through. It’s the safest method of buying cannabis products, with as little contact as possible. That’s why this service also works great if you’re sick, worried about getting sick, or just want to stay comfortable in your vehicle.
Our Community Impact
At Cheeky’s, our community impact is felt in more ways than one. On top of providing a welcoming environment and comfortable shopping experience for all cannabis users, Cheeky’s is also highly involved in giving back to the community, led by our ‘Green Gratitude’ program.
Green Gratitude has been a commitment of ours since day 1, in an effort to support the cause of global homelessness. This commitment dates back to 2013, long before Cheeky’s opened up, when our founder helped launch the first ever safe housing project in Cambodia for World Housing.
Our Green Gratitude program directly benefits World Housing, an organization on the mission of ending homelessness. Every ATM transaction fee collected since our inception at the Maple Ridge location has gone towards ‘Green Gratitude’, which ends up injected right back into the community.
On top of Green Gratitude, Cheeky’s is dedicated to being a good neighbour in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver communities we serve. What does that look like? Once per month, Cheeky’s hosts a beach cleanup that all staff members participate in. We also take the time to clean and pick up litter not only the sidewalk in front of our shops, but the entire block.
If you’re looking for high-quality cannabis products, friendly and knowledgeable support, and an unbeatable shopping experience, come visit Cheeky’s Cannabis Merchants. We’ve got a location in Kitsilano and Maple Ridge, with a new Mission location on the way. Stop by a shop, or feel free to contact us with any questions.