I-502 was an initiative on the Washington State ballot for the legalization of recreational marijuana. In July of 2014, the first batch of retail licenses were sold, and on October 6, Green Theory opened up in Bellevue.
Located near the intersection of Main Street and 106th Ave., Green Theory is a recreational dispensary, selling marijuana buds, concentrates and edibles for anybody over the age of 21, without a medical marijuana card being required.
The store is clean, modern and open, having almost the vibe of a tea shop. After walking in the first set of doors, customers must wait in a little holding area for an employee to check their ID before being let into the store proper. Staff is friendly, courteous and knowledgeable about all the products in the store.
The openness is a definite necessity, as both times I’ve visited the store has been bustling with a wide range of customers. Older men in business suits, seniors, moms and the younger crowd all mill around the counters talking to employees.
Retail dispensaries are regulated more than medical dispensaries, so those with experience in medical dispensaries will see a definite difference. Unlike a medical dispensary, no product may be opened in the store, so customers are unable to feel and smell anything before buying.
Employees are attentive and highly knowledgeable about all the product in the store and are trained to determine a customer’s needs. One definitely gets the feel of personal service instead of employees acting like cashiers. Those who have never tried marijuana or only tried it decades ago can walk in and get educated.
The product comes in three main forms, marijuana buds, the sort most commonly seen, as well as concentrates and edibles. Concentrates come from buds that use a solvent to dissolve the active ingredients out of the buds. After the solvent – usually butane – is removed, what’s left is highly concentrated cannabinoids, with a consistency ranging from soft and oily to waxy to almost completely hard.
Edibles use some form of fat or oil to absorb the psychoactive cannabinoids from plant matter, and are then cooked into some sort of food item. Green Theory stocks cookies, brownies, candies, chocolate bars, and even beverages for those wanting to save their lungs.
Prices are competitive across the Seattle area, and Green Theory also matches price, honoring competitor’s prices for the same product. According to their menu on leafly.com, bud ranges between 15 and 35 dollars a gram of bud and between 10 and 16 dollars for something pre-rolled and ready to smoke. Concentrates start around 30 dollars for a half-gram and go up from there.
Green Theory has plenty of promotions as well. Every Friday there is a vendor day, where vendors send representatives to come by and educate customers and employees about product. The Friday I visited, someone from MyWeedBunny.com was behind the counter talking concentrates with customers, with 50 dollar half-grams marked down to 35.
In addition to the marijuana, Green Theory also sells the equipment to smoke it. Pipes, bongs, rolling papers, whatever method is preferred, the customer can buy whatever is needed to make full use of whatever is purchased.
Green Theory is definitely an ideal retail dispensary for those not wanting to make the trip out to Seattle. In a great, safe location, anybody from any walk of life can walk in and start enjoying the state’s newfound freedom.
