LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Central Kentucky will soon have its first medical cannabis dispensary when Speakeasy opens its doors Jan. 15 in Lexington’s Hamburg area, making it the second dispensary statewide.

The dispensary is housed in a former Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant and features a horse-themed lobby. Medical cannabis card holders will be guided by sales representatives, known as bud tenders, through a hidden door to the sales floor, playing off the speakeasy theme.

“For the patients at home that’s been excited it’s felt like a really long time coming to get product out on the market but this has been one of the most successful product launches and market launches that I’ve personally ever seen,” said Casey Flippo, manager of Speakeasy dispensary.

Limited product selection at opening

When doors officially open, only products from the flower of the plant will be sold. Patients are not legally allowed to smoke the cannabis. The flower is grown by Dark Horse, a company based in Richmond, and will launch with four strains.

Other products including edibles, topicals, cartridges and tinctures are weeks away from hitting shelves.

“There’s a lot of pressure from the industry operators to get product on the shelves and make it as robust of a program as it possibly can be,” Flippo said.

How the dispensary operates

Customers will not be able to touch or smell products. Bud tenders will recommend remedies based on patients’ ailments. Products will come from the back room vacuum-sealed and child-proof.

The dispensary will start with 25 bud tenders and expand to about 40 employees.

“A lot of the staff while they may not have traditional cannabis experience they have extensive retail experience so they understand exactly what a consumer need looks like,” Flippo said.

The former drive-thru window will remain operational. In a few weeks, customers can place online orders for pickup.

Cash and debit cards will be accepted, but no credit cards.

Governor wants faster rollout

Gov. Andy Beshear said he wants the medical cannabis program to expand more quickly.

“I’m not satisfied I want it to speed up we’re pushing for it but the crops gotta grow it’s gotta be processed,” Beshear said. “The restrictions inside the law where aimed at a very secure system which is important but that also meant it took a little more time that we would have liked I expect it to pick up significantly but I am not going to be satisfied until will are at 100 percent capacity.”

Thousands of Kentuckians now hold medical cannabis cards, a year since medical cannabis was legalized in the commonwealth.

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