Pubdate: Wed, 02 Apr 2014
Source: Seattle Weekly (WA)
Column: Toke Signals
Copyright: 2014 Village Voice Media
Contact: 
http://www.seattleweekly.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.seattleweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/410
Author: Steve Elliott

EXPLORING THE GALAXY OF PUGET SOUND FARMERS MARKETS

Despite the exit of Seattle's prominent Cannabis Farmer's Market 
under an ethical cloud, there are still plenty of markets in the 
Puget Sound area, which means lots of competition. How to set oneself 
apart from the others? NW Cannabis Market, with two locations (White 
Center and the Galaxy location on Rainier Avenue) has found an 
answer: Open every day.

Unlike other markets, the Galaxy location is open seven days a week, 
11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the White Center location keeps the same hours 
Tuesday through Saturday. That means that if you find a favorite 
vendor-say, once you get home, you decide this particular booth has 
the exact cut of Afgoo that addresses your symptoms perfectly, or 
that particular medible really hit the spot-then you can go back the 
next day and get some more.

I visited lots of vendor booths at both locations, and found no 
flowers priced at more than $11 per gram; most tables topped out at 
$10. If you buy in greater quantities, say a fourth-ounce or more, 
the deals get commensurately better.

On your first visit to the market, you definitely want to be sure to 
request and wear the "NEW" sticker on your chest. This tips off 
vendors that it's your first visit to the market, and many of them 
are smart enough to know they'll never get a second chance to make a 
first impression. Wearing my "NEW" sticker at both locations, I was 
given free sample dabs, free half-grams of flower, and special deals 
on eighths and quarters.

While the White Center location has been completely remodeled since 
my last visit two years ago-and looks great, with friendly vendors, a 
welcoming atmosphere, and a dab bar-the Galaxy location really takes 
it to the next level. It feels almost like a marijuana mini-mall, 
with several rooms full of vendors and a lounge area complete with 
its own dab bar where you can relax and enjoy a cold water, soda, or 
juice and choose from a tasty menu of hash oils from an attentive dab-tender.

There are plenty of vendor booths at both locations, so if a 
particular vendor doesn't offer the flowers, concentrates, or 
topicals-or good attitude-that you'd like, you can easily just move 
to the next vendor, no problem. Most of the vendors, however, "get 
it" when it comes to good customer service.

Owner Mike Keysor tells me that NW Cannabis Market will have a third 
location very soon, in unincorporated King County north of Seattle. 
That won't be the end of the chain's expansion, either; a fourth 
branch will open not long afterward at another location, he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom