ADDISON — Pinnacle Emporium, which opened its first Michigan marijuana provisioning center in December in Morenci, has opened a second shop in Addison.
The store front, at 100 S. Steer St., is in the former PantherPit Party Store. Its hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Its phone number is 517-252-5547.
The same laid-back feel that owners Michael Silver and Erik Watkins have in their Morenci location is brought to a whole new level in Addison.
The same memorabilia of the “prohibition” years of cannabis consumption, according to Silver, graces the walls. With such classic rock tunes as “Come Together” by The Beatles, “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult and “Free Falling” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers playing over the store’s sound system, customers are instantly left with a welcome and chill feeling.
“I think we are pretty relaxed about everything going on,” said Silver, CEO of Pinnacle Emporium, who has been working with cannabis for more than 30 years. “We as a team, are pretty pleased with how well business is going. We are excited to get to know the people of Addison.”
Whether someone’s “need for weed” is for recreational or medicinal purposes, Pinnacle will do its best to provide the full customer experience to the buyer.
The Addison location is much more spacious than the Morenci shop, at least double the space, Silver said.
But that might not last for long. The company is expecting to expand in Morenci, practically doubling the space there as soon as Oct.1, when it is planning to move next door to the Dollar General, 950 E. Main St.
The showroom in Morenci will expand by at least triple the size in its upcoming move.
If an item is not found in store, the business’ website, www.pinnaclecanna.com, provides another shopping option. Specific requests for items, if not found in store or online, will be sought after by the Pinnacle team.
At least 350 to 400 products are available at the Addison location.
The collector of the memorabilia in the store and the visionary creator of each store’s aesthetic is Daniel “Potzy” Potenza, a longtime friend of Silver’s. His efforts, according to Silver, bring the vintage Americana feel to the stores.
And whether that vintage-Americana is represented through the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s or even the gangster rap era, Potenza said he will try to branch out and reach all interests.
When visiting Pinnacle Emporium, a customer would walk through the store, check in at the front desk with a valid ID and then be led to the sales floor behind a secure door where they are surrounded by products such as grinders, pipes and bottle bongs in product display cases.
Unique to the Addison location is a locally made “Bud Bar,” which sits in the center of the showroom.
Made from black walnut trees found in the Addison area and locally sourced wooden barrels, the “Bud Bar” is a display table featuring many of the marijuana buds Pinnacle offers. Customers will be allowed to get a whiff of the product when visiting the “Bud Bar.”
A team of bud tenders, or patient advisers, are there to help customers make their choices, but customers are also free to browse on their own, including doing research and ordering on a provided iPad.
Pinnacle Emporium also offers capsules, edibles, peppermints, concentrates, vape cartridges, flowers and a variety of lip balms.
Between the two Lenawee County stores, Silver said the company is employing between 25 to 30 people.
With close to 10 properties purchased throughout Michigan, Pinnacle will be spreading its name across the state. Silver said he is expecting the company to open at least six new stores from now and into 2021, with others in the pipeline. The next three locations to open in Michigan will be in Edmore, Coleman and Camden.
“The cannabis market in Michigan is becoming super competitive,” he said. “We are a very hands-on company that is not corporately operated. We want to keep the idea of cannabis fun for people of all ages, and we want to do it all.”
With operations in both California and Nevada, Watkins and Silver fell in love with the Michigan feel years ago. Now, they are doing what they can to make Michigan another one of their Pinnacle Emporium homes.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the state of Michigan deemed cannabis shops and provisioning centers essential businesses. The stores in Addison and Morenci are open to the public, but do have COVID-19 policies in place when shopping. Curbside pickup and delivery are being offered.