// BUSINESS INNOVATIONS //
Planet 13
Selling Cannabis as an Immersive Entertainment Experience By Jessica McKeil The cannabis retail experience is rapidly changing. Gone are the days of dimly lit dispensaries with tacky flashing signs. As retailers seek to differentiate, it’s no longer about selling a product. Instead, it’s increasingly about selling a complete consumer experience. Planet 13 is the epitome of this new wave of retail, toting cannabis as a destination. With the world’s largest cannabis store in Las Vegas, Nevada, and now with the second largest store in Santa Ana, California, they are on a quest to transform the cannabis retail landscape.
Thus, Planet 13 Las Vegas was born. Instead of budtenders making quick retail transactions, this new retail model encourages customers to linger as long as possible. The massive Las Vegas flagship location boasts a seemingly never-ending list of tech-driven entertainment installations, from a gigantic 3D Projection Visual Experience to an LED interactive floor to a guest-controlled, 13-foot robotic lotus flower.
As guests wander through the expansive space, they can watch the production team make edibles in the Willy-Wonka-inspired, glasspaneled factory or indulge at the on-site restaurant and bar. Soon, a pair of fighting robots will add to the all-out nature of the Planet 13 experience. The recent opening of the newest Planet 13 megaplex in Orange County, California, builds on this highly-interactive model. Playing into
In an interview, Larry Scheffler, co-CEO of Planet 13 Holdings, discussed the vision behind making cannabis retail a sharable experience. He reflected on what it took to move the cannabis industry in this new direction, including wielding the power of social media and emphasizing the importance of location. Planet 13 Represents a New Kind of Retail Experience When Scheffler and Bob Groesbeck, the other co-CEO at Planet 13, originally got into cannabis, it started with a small 2,500 sq. ft. space near the Raiders stadium in Las Vegas. In the first 10 months of operation, they made a whopping $18 million. Still, as Scheffler judged, “Why do we have 43 competitors fighting for 2.3 million locals when there are 55 million tourists coming?” From this perspective, it made sense to pivot from a simple retail location to a tourist attraction. As longtime Las Vegas residents, the entertainment business model comes naturally to Scheffler and Groesbeck. In Scheffler’s words, “All we know about is the tourists and entertaining the tourists. And they will come. They don’t even know how they want to be entertained. That’s your job to figure out how to entertain them.” 58
Cannabis & Tech Today // Fall 2021
Planet 13 dispensary in Las Vegas creates an immersive, interactive experience for guests. This unusual environment encourages social media interaction, acting as free advertising for the business.
