Jamestown to begin recreational marijuana sales Wednesday

CBS 13's April Hettinger has a preview of the much-anticipated retail launch

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Mark your calendars. Jamestown Yuma will begin recreational marijuana sales this Wednesday for anyone over 21.

The only dispensary in Yuma County was one of the first 73 dispensaries in the state to get their recreational license approved by the Arizona Department of Health Services.

However, they decided to initially hold off on sales to be sure they could meet the demand and are now ready to open for business.

CEO of Jamestown Yuma, Susan Hwang, says they are going with a order ahead and pick-up process.

"The orders will have to be placed online or via phone, and once we have your orders ready, that's when you can come and pick up the orders," Hwang stated.

Wholesale prices have gone up because of the high demand which has caused a hike in the retail price as well.

"Now that there's a shortage, high, high demand, less supply available, and then the fact that larger companies controlling the cultivation sites and manufacturing," Hwang explained. "It's been challenging and we have stocked up. I'm not sure if it's enough, but we have done our best."

They have now caught up with inventory.

Meanwhile, even bigger changes are coming to Yuma in 2021.

"We are going to be building brand new facilities, not just one but facilities, including a dispensary that can serve both medical and adult-use but also cultivation sites, extraction facilities and infusion kitchens all in Yuma," Hwang said.

And, name changes too. The CEO owns a dispensary in Mesa, Arizona called Best Dispensary Mesa.

Jamestown Yuma will become Best Dispensary Yuma at the new location and cultivation site.

"We definitely have a property that's already zoned," Hwang stated. "We just need to do some specifics on the planning."

But the cultivation will have to be done indoors to avoid interfering with Yuma's existing agriculture.

"When it comes to THC cannabis, that dispensaries are selling that have THC, those must be grown indoors for Yuma case because hemp flowers are male plants, and the flowers, the smokable flowers for THC are female; therefore, if we do it in outdoor, there is a potential for cross pollination," Hwang explained.

Although the business is cash-only right now, there is a partnership with a local bank in the works.

"There are, you know, privately owned banks that actually do accept cannabis companies and dispensaries here in Arizona," Hwang said. "We do have a merchant service that were, you know, working on. We are under the underwriting process right now."

Jamestown Yuma asks the community for patience as they work to accumulate more supply since they are the only dispensary in the county.

Tonight, 13 On Your Side's April Hettinger speaks with the dispensary about its plans for 2021 including a new name and new location.