Toronto’s premier cannabis store, The Hunny Pot, stands out from a swarm of competitors. With a modern aesthetic and welcoming atmosphere, the brand continues to cultivate a loyal following.
Since cannabis shops began appearing on the streets of Ontario in 2019, there has been an explosion of options for customers. However, when the permits were first granted, only 25 traders out of a total of 19,000 applications were selected across the province through a lottery system. The Hunny Pot, named after its founder, Hunny Gawri, was one of the lucky ones and became the very first legal cannabis store in Toronto. Cameron Brown, spokesperson and longtime friend of Hunny Gawri, tells us the story of this company that is talked about, from its opening with a bang, to expansion, to continued success in a market more and more crowded.
Rogers Affaires: How did you become the very first legal cannabis store in Toronto?
Cameron : We participated in the first legal cannabis lottery and, as soon as we learned that we had been selected, we began to think and work tirelessly to bring our brand, our vision and our concept to life in order to to be able to open on time.
Rogers Business: Tell us about opening day when some people camped out overnight to be first in line?
Cameron : The night before opening, we stayed in the shop until 4:30 am to make sure everything was ready and to finalize any last minute tasks. At 6:30 a.m., we were back at the store to face the big day ahead of us. Although we prepared the team of 55 before opening day, we still didn’t know what to expect. That’s why it’s been so exciting to see all these people lining up and camping for over 24 hours to be the very first to shop at our store.
Rogers Business: Someone on Twitter mentioned that your store looks like a jewelry or fashion store. Why are aesthetics and in-store experience important?
Cameron : The interior design of our stores required a lot of thought, conceptualization and work, as we really wanted to move away from preconceived ideas about cannabis retailers. We wanted to elevate this experience for the curious to ensure that we were well representing the legal cannabis industry in Ontario. Overall, we felt this was a great way to show that we’re a cannabis shop that’s accessible to everyone.
Rogers Business: Last year, we were worried about an oversaturated market. How did you manage to maintain your success and grow in this challenging environment?
Cameron : The sector grew from 25 to 75 stores, then to 1,600 stores in Ontario in the space of three years. There are now several cannabis shops per neighborhood, all selling the same products. Our strategy is to research and research. We spend a lot of time analyzing our data to always know what’s happening in the market, to understand the changing situation, habits and buying patterns of our customers, and to ensure that we are always up to date. vanguard of products, prices and trends.
Rogers Business: What is your greatest reward as an independent business owner?
Cameron : There are several of them!
First, watching the growth of the Hunny Pot brand is very rewarding. Then, the teams we have put together fill us with pride. Many people started working with us in the first year and are now managers of our new stores. Finally, the creation of our clothing line has proven to be a rewarding experience. It’s always special to see people in our stores or on the street wearing a brand sweater or cap. We’ve seen people wear our brand at the airport, at sporting events and even in the Caribbean, and we always take great pride in it because it shows their loyalty.
