PAW PAW, Mich. — The first legal pot shop in Paw Paw is holding its grand opening this weekend.
But just a few years ago, the owner behind the business had no plans of getting into commercial cannabis. So, how did he end up here?
“We have our different display cases that are unique products that we have in-house, from our gummies, pre-rolls, we have our concentrates over here,” said White Flower Cannabis Co. owner Aaron White as he showed FOX 17’s Michael Martin around the shop.
Walking around the showroom of White Flower Cannabis’s Paw Paw dispensary, at first seems like most other legal pot shops in Michigan. Except, White designed pretty much everything in sight.
“It's been a lot of work, but it's definitely unique,” said White. “We have a lot of third-party vendors. And now, first of the year, we'll be doing all of our own products in-house.”
But it’s not just a showroom. Beyond the dispensary’s secure walls is everything else White is bringing together.
“This is where my satellite growers come in. So, we have right now a 30 x 100 greenhouse going up, we have two of them. They are heated floors, heated concrete so we can grow year-round,” explained White. “And then I have a 30 x 40 storage building going up for the security for the greenhouses. And then we'll have we have room for five more 10,500 square foot indoor grows.”
A massive space, just under 8 acres, will house several grow operations. The growers, White’s friends he met years ago when he was just a medical marijuana caregiver, are years out from even considering going commercial.
“As soon as the state took the ability away for caregivers and sell to dispensaries. You know, a lot of our friends didn't have an option now to sell their product,” said White.
But they aren’t just growing cannabis here.
“So, this is going to be our production right here. We have our packaging our labeling,” White said as he showed FOX 17 around.
They also have space inside their new building, a former bakery, where they will process their own products as well.
“They have a ton of different ideas and things that they've already tested out. You know, from balms, lotions, spaghetti sauces, and the full nine yards. You know, trail mix, banana chips,” said White.
One day soon, White Flower will be an almost entirely self-contained commercial cannabis operation.
“I want it to be something beautiful and unique, so I'm hoping everybody's happy with it,” said White.
White Flower is holding its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday from 12-5 p.m. at 39530 Red Arrow Hwy in Paw Paw.
