Cannabis businesses see spike in sales during shelter-in-place order

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) While some businesses are taking a financial hit or having to lay off employees, the cannabis business is booming because of the stay-at-home order.

Some Central Coast cannabis businesses saw a spike in sales within the first few days of the shelter in place, as locals stocked up on cannabis products.

Statewide, pot shops saw lines out the doors.

Cannabis retailers are considered an essential service, offering medical marijuana.

“We got a huge run. Those first couple days, it was incredible the amount of people that came through here,” said Chris Porter, who is part of the management team for Plantacea, a cannabis store in Seaside. “A lot of our customers really had the fear that we were going to close as well and that was before we were deemed an essential industry.”

Another Seaside shop told KION sales almost tripled at the start of the shelter in place.

The amount of customers coming in dwindled down by Wednesday, but pot shops said individuals are now making bigger purchases, stocking up so they can stay home during the coronavirus outbreak.
Plantacea is adapting during the pandemic. As a precaution, they shut down their showroom inside, but are now offering curbside service for sales outside.

“We’re basically taking all precautions for the health and safety of our customers and our staff,” Porter said.  

Customers can call ahead or drive up to place an order and they’ll bring it out to you.

Compassionate Bay Delivery, which delivers cannabis products to customers in Monterey and San Benito counties, is also adapting to continue operations.

“Drivers carry gloves and masks, primarily that’s our main focus, is just to protect them," Compassionate Bay Delivery Owner Luis Solis said. "Everything gets wiped down after every delivery so we’re just doing our best to try to combat any kind of spread.”

The company is trying to combat any kind of spread to prevent their workers from getting infected.

“It would definitely disrupt our business and probably put us down for good, actually,” Solis said.

Some shops are still allowing customers to come inside for sales and others have temporarily closed.

Shops told KION other than some small delays, the pandemic doesn't seem to be impacting most of their vendors or cultivation.