Lake Anna has a new business that is looking to break the stigma surrounding cannabis products and become more than just a “pot store”, but to be a wellness hub dedicated to educating and equipping people to pursue wellness naturally. Lake Canna Dispensary just soft-opened several weeks ago and is eyeing a grand opening by the end of October.
Lake Canna is born of the passion of all four people on the leadership team, but for Maurice Robinson in particular, this business is the fulfillment of a life-long dream for he and his wife, Candice Robinson.
“I’d go into smoke shops and vape shops and really didn’t like the environment. The stores weren’t clean or well kept and most of the employees I talked to really didn’t know what they were talking about.”, Maurice said. Galvanized by that, Robinson set out on a journey of figuring out what it would take to create a space that embodied what he envisioned as a dispensary done right.
After leaving his job as a car salesman, Robinson reconnected with a dispensary in Charlottesville that he respected the culture and business model of. He started out helping them for free part-time to learn the ins and outs of running a dispensary, while selling boats at Mid-Atlantic Watersports to support he and his family as he learned his desired business. Eventually, he grew to help establish a second dispensary and managed both the flagship store and second one.
It’s in this position that Maurice noticed a need for quality, local cannabis products instead of low quality products or those imported from other states. He helped coordinate meetings to build a local co-op of growers. One grower stood out from the rest. Jace was consistent in his product, punctual in every aspect of the business, and produced high-quality quality cannabis products consistently.
That birthed a partnership that evolved into the two deciding to figure out a way to combine Jace’s award-winning skill for cultivation with Maurice’s skill for managing and coordinating retail distribution to introduce quality products to a larger market at an affordable rate.
As the idea matured, they naturally involved their partners to create a family business team. Jace’s wife Jesse is an herbalist and helped cast the vision of Lake Canna as a “wellness center with a dispensary aspect.” viewing cannabis products as an aspect of natural healing rather than the sole product they offer. Jesse also helps manage the store’s social media and cultivate relationships with community members and organizations.
Maurice’s wife Candice helped build the business framework to help guide this idea into a cohesive business poised to flourish into something beautiful.
Lake Canna’s experience in the cannabis industry has allowed them to form relationships with suppliers so that they can be confident that the products they are offering to their customers are safe and high-quality. Their experience is another asset they hope to share with the community through consultations and classes.
Currently, Lake Canna offers 1:1 consultations where customers can go in to share health and wellness concerns and get insights from knowledgeable caring staff on which products will best meet their health and wellness needs. They offer tinctures, infused drinks, natural skincare products, and a variety of products to meet all aspects of health.
While some residents have pushed back o n having a dispensary in the county, Lake Canna’s goal is to grow into much more than that. Jesse Groux, the store’s social media and community outreach coordinator, says she hopes Lake Canna becomes “a wellness center with a dispensary aspect.”
In the coming months, the Lake Canna team has plans to develop their vision into a key part of the community. They are already working with several local artisans and craftsman to feature local talent and hope to continue that support by having an artisan market in the fall and winter to support local creators in the off season. Classes and a podcast focused on conversational education are also in process. Keep an eye out on these community resources and events.
Overall, the team has said they’ve heard great feedback on their presence in the community and the experience they carefully curated. Lake Canna looks forward to being a part of the Lake Anna community for years to come and leave a legacy for their family to carry on after they are gone.
