“We are proud to have created a hub for cannabis and community in the Capital region,” says General Manager Joe Glynn. “It is our goal to provide a human-centred cannabis retail experience that educates and destigmatizes. We recognize our patrons come from all walks of life, and we celebrate the diverse reasons as to why they choose to incorporate cannabis into their lives.”
Stash & Co. currently operates one of the most popular cannabis stores in Canada, with its Ottawa-Centretown location at 391 Bank Street, serving over 1000 customers daily.
The Latest in Retail DesignOpening just after Thanksgiving, on October 15th 2020, Stash & Co., 1445 Merivale Road, is a state-of-the-art, 3500 square-foot, multi-level cannabis store featuring the latest in cannabis retail technology. The first of its kind, Stash & Co. uses pneumatic tube technology to transport product between floors – from the fulfillment centre upstairs to the retail space downstairs. The customer places their order by speaking to a budtender/retail associate or by using one of the custom built Stash & Co. order kiosks. The order is then sent to the fulfilment team located on the upper level of the facility, where it is filled, placed into the pneumatic pod, and sent downward via a vacuum tube to the retail associate.The retail space features a beautiful preserved Scandinavian moss wall designed by Ottawa living-wall specialist Emma Terrel (aka The Urban Botanist), a vibrant expansive wall mural by renowned local artists Dems n Doll and a modern water feature that gives off a welcoming and calm feeling in the space. “In designing our second store, we wanted to capture the vibrancy of the Merivale neighbourhood while including purposeful installations that add a new aura to the cannabis retail experience.” says Joe Glynn. The space also features order kiosks for customers wanting to shop in solitude and an activation space for education sessions by the Stash & Co. team and various licensed producers. The new headquarters will house the company’s latest retail store, corporate office space, activation centre, customer service centre and will be the future distribution and delivery hub.The introduction of AI budtending online and in-storeWith more customers choosing to place their orders online or at a kiosk Stash & Co., powered by high-tech company StrainBrain, successfully integrated the first Online AI Budtendering system. Developed using extensive research into the cannabis industry, the program is designed to find the best personalized strain match depending on what the customer is looking for. “We use millions of data points derived from hundreds of thousands of user reviews on thousands of strains to offer AI-powered personalized budtending,” states StrainBrain. This feature is now available on thestashandco.com website as well as the store kiosks to help customers make educated product choices before purchasing. Precautions during COVID-19Stash & Co. has been at the frontlines of COVID-19 since the very beginning. Deemed an essential business, the privately-owned dispensary continued to sell cannabis and refused to layoff its staff and increased pay during the pandemic. “We owe it to our beloved Ottawa community for the immense support we have received during this very difficult time in our world. Despite the pandemic, we have been able to add over 70 more full-time positions to our business and are looking to add another 300 more by March,” says founder and CEO, Karan Someshwar Holla. “That said, our business is innovating at every turn to create the safest cannabis retail experience during this time. Though we can no longer deliver, we have implemented measures that ensure the safety of our patrons and staff, including the enforcement of Temporary Mandatory Mask By-Law in Ottawa, the placement of hand sanitizing stations throughout the store, the use of plexiglass shields and the sanitization of high-touch services every fifteen minutes. Members of staff are also told to stay home and get tested if they are experiencing symptoms.”About Stash & CoStash & Co is a privately-owned cannabis brand aiming to destigmatize the retail cannabis experience through education and human connection. Founded in 2019 by businessman and philanthropist Karan S. Holla, Stash & Co. has quickly become one of the busiest cannabis retailers in Canada. Known distinctly in the Ottawa area for its personable team of retail associates and their community initiatives, Stash & Co. has built its brand around the power of the ‘human factor’. “We have an amazing team of passionate and driven individuals that make Stash & Co. what it is – a human-based experience.” says founder Karan S. Holla. Since its creation, Stash & Co. has taken part in various community initiatives to support Ottawa citizens during COVID-19. In June 2020, the retail brand also donated $20,000 to the families of the fallen soldiers of the Canadian and Indian Armed Forces. In May 2020, Stash & Co. fundraised and donated over $10,000 to Cornerstone Housing for Women via the 100% proceeds from the sales of eco-friendly tote bags. Currently, Stash & Co. supports Turning the Page on Cancer and is working with the Food Bank of Ottawa, to ensure nobody goes hungry during the Thanksgiving season. The Stash & Co. staff also participates in periodical litter cleanups for the Centretown, Byward Market and Nepean areas of Ottawa. Stash & Co. currently has one retail store open in Ottawa located at 391 Bank Street in Centretown, and its regional headquarters / second store opening at 1445 Merivale Road in Nepean on October 15. The cannabis retailer will open 10 stores across Ontario by the end of 2021. For more information visit www.thestashandco.com.SOURCE Stash & Co.For further information: For media inquiries, please contact Amedeo Catenaro – Marketing Manager at [email protected]
