Since last spring, hemp stores and dispensaries have opened at a brisk pace throughout the Milwaukee area, but until recently, most of them have set up shop in the suburbs or neighborhoods surrounding Downtown. Now, those who live and work in the heart of Milwaukee have an option: MKEHemp Rx dispensary opened on Friday, March 1, at 706 N. Milwaukee St., between Wisconsin Ave. and Mason St. “We’re the first Colorado-style dispensary in Downtown Milwaukee,” said Gino Jab, one of the budtenders at MKEHemp Rx.
Some cannabidiol (CBD) dispensaries have a policy where visitors have to be buzzed in; however, MKEHemp Rx takes security a few steps further to ensure customer and employee safety. If you plan to visit, leave the cellphones and cameras in the car or at your desk; they’re not allowed in the dispensary. Also, all visitors must show identification. Friendly security personnel then check each visitor for weapons by use of a scanning wand. After that, you’re guided to a relaxing waiting area with high ceilings, decorative molding, wood flooring and warm tones. When a budtender is available, you’re escorted to the screened-off dispensary for a private consultation. All sales are cash only; there is an ATM on the premises to assist in that regard.
MKEHemp Rx’s wood shelves are stocked with CBD oil, tinctures, edibles, capsules, hemp flower and prerolls. Brands include Secret Nature CBD vape products, Lazarus Naturals oil, Select brand pain balm, muscle rub and pain patches, Sacred Biology balms and lotions (designed to ease arthritis or hand pain) and Paradise CBD pet products, which people seek to calm separation anxiety in dogs. Jab pointed out that all of their products are tamper-resistant sealed, and the variety of products meets the needs of people who wish to consume hemp in different ways.
MKEHemp Rx’s staff has tried every product in the dispensary, Jab said, and they strive to share their education and knowledge with their customers. They try to stock what people are looking for, and they’ll decline to sell a product to a customer if the person is uncertain about an item. “Hemp is new again to Wisconsin; it hasn’t been used here in 60 years,” he said. “So, we wanted to start the store off right with the look and vibe of a professional dispensary.”
Jab had worked in a cannabis dispensary in California before relocating to Milwaukee several months ago to work at MKEHemp Rx. Other than Wisconsin’s wild weather, he said he likes Milwaukee and is optimistic about the future of hemp in Wisconsin, especially since the election of Tony Evers. “It’s evolving in the right direction, and we’re following other states,” Jab concluded.
For more information, visit mkerx.com. Any health claims in this article are intended for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for medical advice. Consult with a health care professional before starting any treatment.
