

(WSB photo: Andrew Cornwall and Jon Sherman photographed at Origins this afternoon)

By Tracy Record

West Seattle Blog editor

West Seattle’s first recreational-marijuana store is now open. And they’re touting another “first.”

We reported two weeks ago that Origins at 1416 SW Roxbury had become the second applicant to receive a license, but that it was on a faster track to opening than the first one, which is planned for a converted Craftsman at 5440 California SW.

And now, Origins is open; we talked today at the shop with co-proprietor Jon Sherman, who contacted us last night to say they’ve been in “soft open” mode since Monday and are planning a grand-opening event this Friday and Saturday.

Origins has been in the building on the northeast corner of 15th/Roxbury for more than four years as a medical-marijuana dispensary; they expect to get a medical endorsement when the state starts adding those in July, the deadline date for dispensaries to close if they don’t get licenses. Besides being the first shop in West Seattle proper – within the city limits – they also say they’re the first recreational shop to take credit cards, as of today. Co-proprietor Sean Miller, Sherman explained, owns a merchant-payment-processing company that’s doing its own underwriting and therefore able to handle this kind of business without the contortions some other shops reportedly had been going through – taking cards via “cash advances,” for example.

Origins’ proprietors say they are working to ensure the quality of what they sell, addressing consumer concerns about pesticides on pot by drafting an affidavit they expect their providers to sign, certifying how they’re grown. The word “organic” can’t be used, Sherman explains, since marijuana remains federally illegal – so, no FDA endorsements of growing methods.

They want to be educational for those interested in learning about the different strains; information is accessible via a tablet set up in the middle of their store, which includes showroom-type shelving and cases. “We’re more focused on the experience,” explained Cornwall.

The grand-opening events, themed “Community,” include a 10 am ribbon-cutting on Friday, and they’re hoping to serve up free food procured from a tamale vendor over the city/county line in White Center. They’re also expecting to host an area resident who makes smoking accessories from hemp and will be making them as well as selling them.

Later in the year, they’re hoping to set up a community garden outside the building. No, not growing the kind of plant they sell – that would be illegal – they will be planting food such as tomatoes, and inviting the community to take some for their own uses, as needed.

SIDE NOTE: The state has announced it will cut off licensing applications at the end of this month. Here again is the map created by Mark, showing licensed and license-seeking locations around the state. In West Seattle, license-seeking locations include longtime medical-marijuana outlet Northwest Patient Resource Center at 35th/Roxbury.