Bethel is now only weeks away from its first marijuana store. The state Marijuana Control Board approved the license for ALASKAbuds "with delegation." That means it’s approved with a condition, the condition being state fire marshal approval.
Nick Miller owns ALASKAbuds with his wife. He also sits on the Marijuana Control Board, but he didn’t get to vote on his own application. Miller says that he is not worried about getting fire marshal approval.
The last step in the process is waiting until June 3. That’s the last day that the city of Bethel can protest the license. Miller was at Tuesday’s regular city council meeting to listen to any complaints.
"We did have one person that spoke against the license, but I think at the conditional use meeting we had 10 or 12 and we did get our conditional use permit, and last night we had one and I think that’s just because we’re reaching out to the community and working with them," Miller said.
Miller says the next step is to hire eight or nine people to operate Bethel’s first marijuana store.
“We hope to be open by about mid June, maybe late June," Miller said. "We’ve had all the store furniture here. We got it on the last barge last year. So other than getting it put together and getting a security system put in and employees. Those are the last three things we really need to do.”
ALASKAbuds' shop is located in central Bethel on Third Avenue in the same building that houses Stan’s Barber Shop and the Bethel Family Dental Clinic.
