Starting a business is never an easy task – but specializing in what was for the majority of its existence considered a dangerous, schedule 1 controlled substance, can be a uniquely overwhelming and difficult process.
Similar to the prohibition of alcohol in the 20s, marijuana use was not only highly illegal in the United States but also thought to be addictive, harmful and void of any medical potential whatsoever. Whereas alcohol made its way back into American supermarkets after only 13 years, it took the cannabis industry decades to establish any legitimate foundation and only became recreationally available in some states as recently as 2021.
Today, despite a seemingly endless range of complications, it’s growing at incredible rates and shows no sign of slowing down as it continues to evolve and become more accessible.
In Pound Ridge NY, Mark Buzzetto and Sophia Mortell are capitalizing on this widespread cultural trend with their new dispensary, Purple Plains. Getting this now thriving business off the ground was an incredible undertaking that started back in 2022 when the two co-founders first took a leap of faith and pivoted their careers into the unknown.
Mark had decades of experience in the cannabis industry pre-legalization and also co-owned a flower shop with his father where he took immense pride in the presentation and quality of his arrangements. Sophia, on the other hand, brought a high standard for customer service and experiential design from her time spent in the world of hospitality. Last week I had the pleasure of not just speaking with these local entrepreneurs but also visiting their beautiful and sophisticated storefront located just off Westchester Avenue.
The first thing I noticed when I walked in was a sense of elegance. Many classic depictions of marijuana users/sellers are far from flattering – often presented as dingy, unclean and unmotivated. Instead of bean bag chairs and empty pizza boxes though, Purple Plains manages to feel more like the cross between a high-end restaurant, car dealership and a museum all at once.
You might not expect as much from the outside with its charming façade, even I nearly drove past it, but everything on the interior looks sleek and brand new. The extremely knowledgeable and accommodating staff is there to help customers through the entire shopping process, answer questions, educating, and ultimately provide people with product suggestions specific to their unique needs and lifestyles.
Co-founder Mark Buzzetto added, “I like to think of it almost like pairing wine with different types of food – a nice dark red with a steak for example. I love having conversations with my customers to help understand what they’re looking for and then guide them in the right direction.”
With the dispensary not just finally up and running but becoming increasingly popular, this exciting team and their vibrant young business have nowhere to go but up. Attracting customers not just locally but from across Connecticut and the tri-state area, their prices are affordable, their products are elite, their staff is extremely accommodating and knowledgeable, and as a result, their success is as unsurprising as it is well earned.
“Our reviews are all five stars,” said Sophia, “so it seems people are overwhelmingly happy with the experience they have in the store which is amazing.” Here is a perfect example of hard work and determination paying off within our community and something else for the town of Pound Ridge to be proud of.
Most of us are aware that smoking is a leading cause of cancer, and that drinking alcohol can also have deleterious effects on our health. But the U.S. Surgeon General recently published an advisory underscoring that alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity – and increases the risk for at least seven types of cancer.
