Dunegrass chief executive officer Nick Piedmonte, said in an email that “The Dunegrass brand is a reflection of all those times spent on the lakeshore, enjoying the long slow days of summer.” (Arielle Breen/News Advocate)
Dunegrass ushers in a new age in Manistee ARIELLE BREEN FOR MICHIGAN GREEN STATE Dunegrass, Manistee’s first marijuana business, officially opened its doors for business at 28 Arthur St. on Aug. 27. As patients and customers walk past the freshly planted young dune grass outside and enter the lobby area, sandy beach tones greet visitors as well as handmade cherry wood cabinets that nod to the business’ Traverse City roots and a watery blue epoxied floor meant to reference water near the dunes. After checking in at the front desk, visitors meet a sales staff member and visit the next room to browse available products and seek advice and have questions answered by staff. “So that person comes back (to the
sales floor) in a one-to-one capacity,” said Eric Piemonte, Dunegrass chief operations officer. “They’re going to get a very intimate, very individual, customer-driven experience. … We see ourselves just as much as educators as we do as sales (people).” The sales floor also features several photos from Manistee’s dunescapes on canvas. When asked why they would go to the extra lengths to include more of Manistee sights into the business, Piemonte asked “why not?” “We don’t want to do the minimum amount required. We truly want to go above and beyond,” Piemonte said. “We feel the customer experience is a big deal and everything we can do to let everyone know that we’re grounded in northern Michigan and big fans of the area.”
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Winter 2021| MIGreenState
