The first official cannabis store in Toronto opened its doors Monday and the wait was lengthy to get inside.
Located at 202 Queen St. W., The Hunny Pot opened at 10 a.m. April 1. Throughout the day, a lineup of customers wrapped around the corner of McCaul Street, making the wait anywhere from an hour to hour and a half.
“We’ve been waiting in line for 50 minutes, we’re almost there,” Katie Lee said. She was standing in line with roughly five people ahead of her at 4:30 p.m.
Monday afternoon outside of The Hunny Pot on Queen Street near McCaul Street. (Allison Palmer)/Toronto Observer
Lee said even though they saw the long lineup, it didn’t discourage them from wanting to see what The Hunny Pot was all about.
“We’re excited. We plan on buying a few grams to try it out.”
Raul Hernandez from Toronto was at the back of the line. “I kind of expected the line to be long but not this long,” he said. “I want to see if this weed is different from the one I’ve been buying from other dispensaries.”
At the front of the store, security was checking each customer’s identification since the store only accepts people over 19 years old.
Inside The Hunny Pot, there are three different levels brightly lit up. Cabinets against the walls display products such as bongs, vape kits, and hand pipes.
On the second and third levels of the store, different types of cannabis are displayed on stands in jars out in the open. Each has labels identifying the types of cannabis on offer.
On the labels, are the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) percentages and the cannabidiol (CBD) percentages. You can also have a smell of the cannabis before making your purchase.
The Hunny Pot has a variety of different strains you can smell before purchasing. (Allison Palmer)/Toronto Observer
So-called “bud tenders” are available throughout the store to take customer orders on iPads. When the customer has put their order in, they can head down to the main level where their selection is ready to be picked up and paid for.
Bud tenders carrying iPads taking orders inside of The Hunny Pot. Each bud tender wears a uniform with a slogan on the back (Allison Palmer)/Toronto Observer
Though five cannabis licences were issued for Toronto, The Hunny Pot was the first to open.
The Hunny Pot declined an interview with the Toronto Observer but a spokesperson said they were excited about the launch of the business.