COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Colorado Springs dispensaries are reporting dramatic changes to business since recreational marijuana sales became legal in the city just over two months ago.
Dispensary managers say they've seen customer traffic increase by as much as 450% since April 15, when recreational marijuana sales were first allowed in Colorado Springs.
"It was a huge roller coaster," said Donovan Gates, general manager of Elevations Dispensary.
Gates said he has yet to take a day off since the change, working 80-hour weeks to help with his business's transition.
"I've been working 80 hour weeks every day for last four months," Gates said.
Gates said those first few weeks following April 15 lead to some serious adjustments.
"We weren't able to make any big adjustments until we actually got the word, which is like probably a week before that," Gates said.
Gates added that his store has added several new shoppers, with recreational users now outnumbering medical marijuana patients.
"We're definitely seeing way more recreational customers than our medical," Gates said.
Across town at Apothecary Farms, the story is similar. Their Colorado Springs locations, once the company's slowest performers, have seen remarkable growth.
"Soon as these stores went recreational, we saw a 400-450% increase in traffic at each location," said Brent McDonald, Marketing and Sales Director for Apothecary Farms.
The company's Colorado-based production allowed them to quickly adjust inventory to meet the new demand. As of Sunday, most of the Springs location's shelf space is dedicated to recreational products.
"We want to keep our medical patients as a priority, but we do want to make sure that the recreational stores are completely stocked," McDonald said.
The recent changes have also created jobs. Both dispensaries said significant staffing increases have come as a result of the influx of customers.
"We've had to hire seven to 10 new bud tenders at each location," McDonald said.
"We were just probably three to four of employees in the front. Now we're up to 20," Gates said.
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