Queen of Bud to Missouri applicants: Make sure you have enough capital

The Queen of Bud is changing the way people look at cannabis in a seriously glamorous way. A high-end Canadian dispensary, the Queen of Bud is just as successful as it is aesthetically pleasing, and we got to talk to the Queen herself – Ashley Newman.

Kaycee, our Culture Editor, took a road trip across America to Canada, visiting Vancouver, British Columbia, and back. Along the way, she stopped at dispensaries, talked with people in the industry, and of course, tried product of all shapes, sizes, and forms. She was most excited to explore the cannabis scene in Canada, as it just became recreationally legalized as a nation in 2018.

To her pleasant surprise, Alberta is leading the country in legal cannabis. As of April this year, the province had opened over 75 stores, the most across the country, and over a third of those are located in Calgary. There were several highly rated dispensaries that Kaycee visited while in Alberta, but she had her eye on one – The Queen of Bud, and it did not disappoint.

It is located southwest of downtown Calgary, in the Sultana neighborhood.

As you walk in, you feel like you are walking into an executive office or royal suite. A quiet front room displays the strains and deals of the day, but your eye is drawn to the next room – white walls, crown molding, sleek counters, and vaulted ceilings. Chandeliers hang above the cash registers, the seating is a plush blue velvet couch that sits in front of a picturesque floor-to-ceiling flower wall, and product sits on a shelf in little glass jars with magnifying glasses.

The budtenders carefully guided us to our purchase. They were both incredibly friendly and helpful. They offered to take our picture in front of the famous flower wall. Plus, we even got a deal!

Even though this place is perfectly girly and cute, we observed different guys make purchases too, just as if it was a stop on their daily run. Ashley’s mission is to make everyone feel welcomed and loved at her store, and it looks like she is doing a good job.

She opened her store a week after legalization. In an interview with Vice, the single mother of two little girls described herself as a “serial entrepreneur”—she previously ran an asbestos removal company, but said after her divorce four years ago it was difficult to make ends meet.

While she said normally it takes years to pay off the debt incurred by starting a new business, she was able to pay off $460,000 within the first two months of opening Queen of Bud. She won’t share sales numbers but said the company is doing three times what she forecasted in her business plan.

   

A lot of the Queen of Bud’s success comes from their excellent marketing and branding. Their Instagram is flawless and the website was very carefully curated.

Below is what the Queen had to say about running her pot empire, including advice for upcoming dispensary owners in Missouri.

What made you decide to get into the cannabis industry?
I love Cannabis! I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am today without it. I believe in what I’m selling. I have endometriosis, CBD was an alternative that changed my life.

What do you love about the cannabis industry?
The people. In every other industry, I’ve worked in, it was very cut-throat. This industry is totally different, we all help each other succeed. It’s positive and fun!

What was the inspiration behind your brand?
I wanted to create an experience. I was once told,”I don’t look like I smoke weed”. I wanted to break that stigma and make weed glamorous. When you walk into a high-end shop, sometimes you feel judged or pressured. I wanted everyone to walk in and feel valued. That’s how we’ve built up our cult following, it’s because we truly care. The homeless, housewives, construction workers, executives, gay, straight, trans are all coming together in one place and finding common ground through us. I believe my purpose is to make people smile, laugh and bring love back into their hearts. QOB isn’t just a brand, it’s a movement.

What has been the best part about being a dispensary owner? What has been the most challenging part?
I am inspiring others with my story and how exciting this industry is at all times. It’s always changing, moving fast and keeps me on my toes. I love that, but it’s also the most challenging part. You have to outsmart your competition and think outside the box.

As Missouri moves to legalization, what advice would you give to those entering the industry?
Number one, in my opinion, make sure you have enough capital. Be authentic; it means a lot to your customers. It’s rare. Be yourself, and they’ll relate to you. Give back and use your value to help others. Think of a unique marketing plan to stand out as they’ll be lots of competitors.