There are often assumptions made about the customer base in cannabis retail. From who is choosing to shop with you, to what their budget is before they are asked one question, there are lots of assumptions being made about the customer standing in your store. And even more importantly, the customer that has never stepped foot inside. When we are helping another dispensary grow (we still regularly consult for retailers seeking the insight gleaned over the last 14 years in legal cannabis), one of our first questions is: “What is your current demographic?” For stagnant stores, the answer is often some version of “mostly men, aged 25 to 40.” Which is fine, if that’s your business model. However here’s the cold truth: Your customer base is who you speak to. And if your store only speaks to young stoner dudes, then that’s who will show up. That’s not the market. That’s your mirror. At Canna Provisions, we spend a lot of time thinking about this — not just demographically, but psychographically. Starting with our website and menu to who are we inviting in with our music, our language, our staff, our product selection. Are we building an environment where people feel welcome and seen, or just tolerated at the edge of someone else’s clubhouse? Let me put it another way: Most people still don’t consume cannabis. So if we want to grow this industry, we have to start by making it less intimidating for the people who aren’t already here. That includes people who may have never stepped foot in a dispensary before. People who didn’t grow up with weed culture or who are returning to cannabis after decades away from it. People who are curious but cautious. If you lose them in the first 30 seconds if the store feels unwelcoming, if they’re ignored, if they’re overwhelmed by the menu or by the vibe. You don’t just lose a sale. You lose a chance at long-term trust. And in this business, trust is everything. For us, that means getting out from behind the spreadsheets and standing on the sales floor. Listening. Watching who walks in, who lingers, who leaves, and who comes back. What I’ve seen over and over is this: The vast majority of women who come into our store are shopping for someone else. A parent recovering from surgery. A spouse who can’t sleep. A friend going through chemo. A different friend moving through anxiety. And so on. They’re there because they’re caretakers. Because that’s what women do — they take care of the people around them. And they’re looking to us for real information. Not sales pitches. Not lingo. Information. They want to know what’s safe. What works. What might help without making things worse. Sometimes they’re there for themselves. A beverage after work. A little edible to unwind. Something to help sleep or manage pain. But even then, they often bring a friend. They talk about it in groups. And they remember how they were treated. So what happens if the store is too loud, the staff isn’t paying attention, or the vibe screams “frat house”? You lose them. Not just that day, but probably for good. Because unlike someone who’s been buying weed for 20 years, they’re still on the fence about this whole experience. And that makes the stakes higher for every single interaction. This is why we obsess over retail experience. It’s not just about selling cannabis. It’s about earning trust. Our budtenders aren’t just friendly; they’re trained. They know how to shift gears when a group of older Canyon Ranch guests walks in, or when a 22-year-old is buying her first pre-roll. That’s not an accident. That’s design. We’ve built a menu that’s large and diverse, but we also stand behind every product on our shelves. If a product gets repeated complaints, or if our staff doesn’t believe in it, we pull it. That’s what our “Code Red” system is for. Because the fastest way to lose credibility is to sell something your own team won’t vouch for. You wouldn’t eat at a restaurant where the chef won’t eat the food. Why would cannabis be any different? The best operators already understand this. They’re not chasing hype. They’re curating environments. They’re watching which products get asked about again and again. They’re listening to the questions first-time buyers ask. They’re investing in staff development, product education, and customer service — things that feel basic in any other industry but still get overlooked in cannabis. And they are regularly developing their staff to be better workers, and better humans, with ongoing training and education on key issues plaguing many dispensaries. For example, budtenders often gravitate to an idea that customers are on a similar budget as themselves, so training should include never assuming what a customer wants to spend. Because despite being years into adult use, many in this space still treat cannabis retail like an extension of weed culture. But this isn’t 2010. Customers today don’t care how long you’ve been in the game. They care about whether you can answer their questions. Whether your products are fresh. Whether your staff makes them feel like they belong. In places like the Berkshires, where tourism, wellness, and aging populations intersect, this matters even more. Our stores don’t just serve locals. They serve people visiting from across the country — people who walk in with zero context, or bad experiences elsewhere. And we get one shot to show them what this industry can actually be. The truth is, people keep saying we’re great at cannabis retail. But the reason we’ve won awards, grown our customer base, and built long-term loyalty isn’t because we’re doing anything revolutionary. It’s because we’re great at retail. Full stop. Great retail is inclusive. It’s intentional. It adapts. And it doesn’t rest on the assumption that people will just walk in because you’re the newest license in town. You have to give people a reason to come back, and that reason better be more than your discount board. So if you’re one of those shops wondering why your customer base looks like a rugby team, here’s a suggestion: Start by looking in the mirror. Because the best dispensaries don’t shout louder. They just listen better.