COOK — John Chaulklin is on the edge of realizing a dream he’s held for decades.
Back when he was a college student marching in cannabis rallies at the Wisconsin state capitol, Chaulklin couldn’t imagine he’d one day be poised to open a full-fledged marijuana dispensary. But after three years of operating Weed Wishes in Cook, selling low-potency THC edibles and other legal cannabis-derived products, Chaulklin and his wife, Heather, are now nearing the final step.
“We’ve been blessed to be pre-approved,” Chaulklin said. “We don’t see any issues of being turned down because we are pre-approved based on our credentials and qualifications. We’re exactly what they’re looking for.”
Their business, soon to be rebranded as Weed Wishes Dispensary, has received pre-approval from the Office of Cannabis Management for a microbusiness cannabis retailer license. Unlike many other categories of cannabis licenses in Minnesota, microbusiness licenses were not subject to a lottery process. About 1,500 applicants applied for the microbusiness license, according to Chaulklin, which allows small operators to grow, manufacture, and sell cannabis products under one roof.
Chaulklin said they expect the final approval to come through in January.
“January is going to be the target date for a grand opening, and we are thrilled to bring cannabis to town,” he said. “The locals, everybody who comes in here are just super excited. It’s going to bring in a lot of people into Cook from Ely, from International Falls, from the Range, even as far west as Effie and Bigfork. We’re going to be having a huge draw because we’re going to be one of the first ones to go in this area.”
While a tribal dispensary on the Vermilion sector of the Bois Forte Reservation near Fortune Bay Resort Casino is already operating and serving regional customers, Chaulklin expects strong demand in Cook for premium cannabis flower, higher-dose edibles, vape products, and other adult-use options.
“Competition is good, and I’m going to be bringing my clients premium product,” he said. “I’ve got the feelers out with five different companies right now that are ready to supply me, and it’s just going to be outstanding.”
Chaulklin said he’s received confirmation from four companies that they’ll have product available by January, including Highway 35, a large cannabis cultivation operation in Grand Rapids.
“That was a concern, but not a concern for us anymore,” Chaulklin said. “Monday was a big day. We got confirmation from a lot of companies that are going to be ready to go in January. That means they’ve already got plants growing, which is huge.”
Weed Wishes is also looking to source product from the White Earth Band, which has been actively growing and distributing cannabis under tribal sovereignty.
Chaulklin emphasized that the shop will not operate as a medical dispensary, though medical cannabis users are welcome.
“This is not medicinal here. This is only recreational,” he said. “We’re open to the public as long as you’re 21 plus. We can’t give medical advice, we’re not professionals, but everything is labeled with THC, CBD, and testing information.”
That testing and traceability, he said, is part of a regulatory framework that’s become much clearer in recent months as the state builds out the OCM.
“They have made really good rules and regulations that people can follow,” Chaulklin said. “There’s all kinds of webinars. You can reach out to them, and they’re more than happy to provide the tools you need.”
All products will be tracked from seed to sale, with detailed labeling, QR-code-linked certificates of analysis, and tightly controlled inventory.
“It’s highly regulated from the seed to the point we receive it,” he said. “It goes into our storage facility that is locked up in a secure vault. When we sell that product, it’s out of our hands. Unless there’s a recall, then we can trace it all the way back to the seed and find out what went wrong.”
The shop’s layout is being lightly renovated to meet dispensary standards, with a controlled check-in area and secured display cases.
“If we have six different kinds of cannabis for sale, we’ll only have six jars with samples in a glass case for viewing,” Chaulklin said. “If the customer says, ‘I’ll take one of number four,’ then we’ll go into the vault, grab the product, and bring it out. That’s another safety feature.”
While he acknowledged early frustrations with the state’s rollout, including multiple leadership changes at OCM, Chaulklin now feels the state has found its footing.
“Minnesota did a slow play, but I understand why,” he said. “They wanted to do this right. Some states rolled it out right away and there were all kinds of issues. This way, it’s real clear what they want and how they want you to operate.”
Enforcement has also ramped up, he said, with compliance officers conducting surprise inspections and taking violations seriously.
“They’re catching people still selling products they shouldn’t be selling,” he said. “Those people get written up, and if they’re applying for a cannabis license, they don’t get a chance to get that because they’ve got a violation already.”
Longer-term, Chaulklin hopes the federal government will reclassify marijuana from a Schedule 1 drug, a category that includes heroin and cocaine, to a lower-level Schedule 3 drug, a change that would remove financial barriers for dispensaries like his.
For now, Chaulklin is focused on finishing preparations and continuing to serve current customers while eyeing January’s full-scale launch.
“Continue to support our little shop until we can get you the real good stuff,” he said. “We promise to bring you a good quality product at a competitive price. This is a wonderful thing. There’s nothing bad about cannabis.”