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Committee approves Altera Dispensary renewal after owner outlines community programs, cites illicit competition
Summary
The Board 2 Cannabis Licensing Committee approved Bloomi LLC d/b/a Altera Dispensary's renewal after owner Vanessa Buchchan described community fundraising, regular events and losses from nearby illicit operators; she urged clearer OCM advertising guidance to help small retailers compete.
The Board 2 Cannabis Licensing Committee approved the renewal of Bloomi LLC, doing business as Altera Dispensary at 52 Kenmmer Street, after owner Vanessa Buchchan described the shop's community work and operational challenges from nearby illicit operators.
Buchchan told the committee she has run the store since its 2023 license, that business draws mainly tourists and customers from below 24th Street, and that the shop offers delivery in an expanded service area. She confirmed adjusted hours based on customer traffic and said delivery and certain weekday changes helped manage staffing costs.
"We were able to raise about $4,000 for them and then Heart of Dinner was our second partner … in total so far, we've put together about 300 kits," Buchchan said, summarizing charitable events and monthly programming she said were included in the store's Community Investment Plan (CIP).
Buchchan also described continuing enforcement and competition problems posed by illicit operators nearby, saying the legal process to shut them down required repeated calls to the sheriff and help from elected officials. "I put in a lot of effort to shut them down … it shouldn't have been such a big lift," she said, calling enforcement delays a material hit to licensed business.
Committee members questioned Buchchan about hours, delivery operations and marketing constraints. On discounts and tax treatment, Buchchan noted that some sales remain taxable on pre-discounted prices, which limits the benefit of promotional pricing. She also described repeated social-media account removals and urged clearer guidance from the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) about acceptable advertising language and strategies to reduce costly third-party compliance fees.
Buchchan outlined in-store events intended to normalize wellness-focused cannabis use and build community ties — yoga, mahjong and bingo nights, artist showcases, training sessions and periodic fundraisers. She said staff retention has been strong and that the store invests in ongoing product and service training for employees.
After questions and additional committee discussion, members moved the business session motion to approve Altera's renewal. The transcript records the committee moving to approve both renewals on the agenda; no detailed roll-call vote tally appears in the transcript.
The committee said it will continue regulatory work on several topics next month, including a recent 500-foot proximity rule implication for licensed sites near schools. The renewal takes the committee step necessary to keep Altera's license current for the next renewal period.
