Welcoming legal pot: Windsor-Essex businesses anticipate growth

Aaron Reimneitz has put in an extra phone line. He is also considering hiring an extra employee in anticipation of a spike in his pizza business.

That's because he's marketing his Bull's Eye Pizza store on Howard Avenue as the go-to pizza place for cannabis users.

"You get the munchies, you come get pizza. It's hand-in-hand, pot, pizza — it's a marriage," said Reimneitz.

Reimneitz put out an ad last week on Instagram and Facebook, which he crafted out of a meme he found on Reddit.

It's a list with the heading, "In Case of Over Medication" before listing several drugs such as Advil, Sudafed and Tylenol and next to each one, it reads "contact poison control."

At the bottom it says, "Cannabis contact Bull's Eye Pizza" and gives the phone number of the store. The posting also advises people not to drive, but to call for delivery.

Reimneitz can't get over the response he's gotten from the ad.

"What I had expected is that I would get a couple of laughs out of it and it's been shared over 200 times. Seen by over 30,000 people in the city," he said.

Lots of interest

Meanwhile, the Cannabis Supply Co. opened an outlet at Tecumseh Road East and Central Avenue Tuesday. The store helps people get in touch with licensed producers of medical marijuana. They also sell accessories.

"We have lots of people coming in to see if we have cannabis on site," said Sherri Graham, general manager of all seven Cannabis Supply Company outlets in Ontario.

Graham said they will not be able to sell cannabis when it becomes legal Oct. 17, but she hopes they can sell it on-site next April when stores will be allowed to carry it.

In Leamington, the Sun Parlour Growers Supply company held an open house Tuesday for greenhouse growers who are either currently growing marijuana or want to start.

Dan Vis from the cannabis supply division said hundreds of growers and even members of the public came out to find out what they have to do grow marijuana.

"From genetics, to indoor growing solutions, to lighting, ventilation, growing mediums themselves, just about anything you could think that is required to grow any kind of plant we are prepared to supply here," said Vis.

Vis expects his cannabis-related business will continue to grow for the next three to five years.

Reimneitz expects to open two stores to sell cannabis next year when it becomes legal. He also might consider producing pizza products with cannabis in them if they are legalized.