The booming cannabis industry has undoubtedly changed a lot in recent years. Despite the pandemic hanging over businesses everywhere, the Cannabis industry is forecast for an over 300% growth rate in the upcoming four years (according to Statista Canada).
George Tran, Onside Media, spoke to Anandhu Mohan and Kiran Xavier, the two owners and cofounders of The Hempire in St.Catharines. They are an independently owned, locally established cannabis dispensary store that provides its customer with the best cannabis experience in the heart of downtown St Catharines.
Anandhu and Kiran were both international students who traveled to Canada to find a better opportunity. The two have developed a deep connection with the Niagara region through the six years spent in Canada. “I consider it to be my second home,” said Anandhu when prompted for the reason why they chose to locate the store in downtown St. Catharines. “We wanted to choose a city that is growing, that we can be considered home, and to build a simple yet comfortable space within the store,” said Kiran.
Upon visiting the store, you can feel the effort and work put into place. Unlike most stores open from 9 to 5, Hempire owner set their store hour from 9 am to 11 pm, opening as soon as they can and staying open as late as the law allows them to. Customer well-being and experience are crucial at Hempire. The store employees always give their effort in consulting and finding the most suitable product that suits their customers—understanding that not everyone is the same, especially in the cannabis industry, where each product can significantly affect its customers.
Our vision for building the Empire of Cannabis started before the era of its legalization. We were interested in this recreational drug that many were popularizing, and we began to learn more about it and eventually wanted to enter the field of cannabis farming. However, the idea of starting a franchise that has the power to grow into more significant areas impressed us even more. Thus, The Hempire was born, and from that day to this, we have worked hard for our dream to become the reality it is.
“Follow your passion with all you got, and success will come.”
The main point that Anandhu and Kiran are trying to interpret is that you have to work hard to earn what you want. The two owners had put in 14 hours of workdays for the past three months. And it wasn’t easy to start Hempire from scratch. Both owners have had to work stable jobs to accumulate enough capital and look for loans that would allow them to open their store and do what they loved. Instead of waiting for the right time after getting their PR, the two-owner applied for a business licensed and was eventually approved for a store opening in 2020.
What is your opinion on the cannabis industry since it first began in 2018?
The cannabis industry has certainly improved a lot since legalisation in 2018. In 2018, all business retailers would have to register in a lottery system that picks out who gets access to a business license. Fast forward to 2020, and the landscape has changed significantly. An overall shift in consumers’ attitudes alongside changes from the federal government regarding cannabis legislation. Despite the setback caused by the pandemic, the business has been back on track for the Cannabis industry. New shops are opening up, and customers are looking for a healthier recreational drug to send them down a new spiritual path.
What it is like in The Hempire?
It is a new experience when you visit and purchase from the store, and it is a unique experience, the designing of the store, the lounge area where people could come and chill, the friendliness of the store employee, and the overall vibes of the store.
Upon choosing a product, our customer representatives will share precise information on the product’s effect, components, and makeup. Ensuring a safe state of mind both upon entering and leaving the storefronts. The store does keep it close to its motto, “hazed and blazed.”
What are your mission and vision? What drives you as a business?
Seeing people misunderstanding cannabis makes us want to show people how to consume cannabis properly. Gradually destigmatize the aura of cannabis within society, understanding what people are consuming and the benefits that it can bring is our central vision for the future. We planned to create an educational experience through seminars, webinars, and consultation upon visits to the store to achieve this goal.
Kiran is also looking to return to Niagara College to acquire a diploma in cultivating cannabis, “we hope that shortly, we can create a unique strain that can represent The Hempire and what we stand for as a company. Meanwhile, we plan to stick with our business model of responsibly providing customers with their most suitable strain.
For more information kindly log on to: https://thehempire.ca/
George Tran
This story is authored by Huu Nghia Tran,(George Tran) Content Writer, Onside Media, St.Catharines, Canada. If you have stories to share kindly email: – georgetran.onside@gmail.com
