It may seem like cannabis dispensaries offer something for everyone. Well…almost everyone. A cornucopia of strains, product types, and flavors awaits. And as long as you like THC, you’re sure to find something. But what about everyone else?
As a long-time cannabis consumer, I was shocked to see my tolerance for THC change in my mid-30s. Instead of enjoying my high, I often became paranoid. But I didn’t want to stop smoking weed. Instead, I decided to seek out flower high in CBD or CBG. These compounds are barely psychoactive, but still offer the ritual I wanted to enjoy.
The only problem? The vast majority of legal dispensaries do not carry low-potency strains. Edibles, sure. Vapes? Maybe. But good old-fashioned flower? Nope.
But then, I discovered Solful.
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The dispensary chain, with locations in San Francisco, Sebastopol, and Healdsburg, is truly a cannabis retailer for everyone. Brimming with products of all types, it was the Rare Effects line, featuring flower strains high in CBD, CBG, and THC-V, that drew me in.
In a market obsessed with high-potency products driven by the hype engine, Solful certainly stands out.
“We can be their trail guide on the journey to health and happiness,” founder Eli Melrod told me during a recent visit to Solful’s SF store on the corner of 10th and Irving.
Melrod founded Solful in 2017. His brother, Noah, joined the company a few years later. While the Bay Area natives always had a penchant for pot, it was a brush with tragedy that revealed the plant’s true potential.
“My dad is a pancreatic cancer survivor,” Melrod said, revealing that at one point, his father was given six months to live. After his dad’s success with medical marijuana, Melrod’s relationship with cannabis was forever changed.
Years later, he realized his dispensary could be different.
“There are so few companies left… actually putting out real medicine.”
Farmers front and center
On my first Solful foray, I was stunned by the wide availability of minor cannabinoids. But that wasn’t the only thing that impressed me.
Looking at the wall of flower, I noticed an abundance of information. Each variety had a detailed list of active compounds, potential effects, and genetics. The icing on the cake? A nod to the farmers themselves.
Melrod noted the display eschews the conventional cannabis shopping experience, where shoppers are inundated with a sea of mylar.
“I can’t imagine buying weed that way,” he said, noting Solful works to both educate their customers and create connections between them and the growers.
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The Solful team works closely with craft cultivators in the Emerald Triangle, sourcing only sungrown bud grown sustainably by people with a passion for the plant. While other brands of finished goods, such as edibles and concentrates, are available, the flower is co-branded exclusively between Solful and its partner farms.
Melrod explained that the current regulatory system in California creates barriers between pot producers and the public. Solful seeks to erase that.
“We’ve created a model that actually works for the small farmer and empowers consumers,” Melrod proclaimed.
Sustainability, selection, and service: Solful ticks all the boxes
In addition to its commitment to patients and small farms, Solful strives to serve the environment. When vetting partner farms, regenerative agriculture and organic practices are a must.
The retailer is also a member of “1% for the Planet,” donating one percent of sales from Solful-branded products to charitable organizations focused on eco-friendly causes.
“Environmental sustainability in the cannabis industry is critical,” Melrod previously said. “As this industry grows, so does our footprint, and we have a duty to act responsibly and proactively.”
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For me, Solful ticks all the boxes. An array of low THC weed? Check (I’ve become especially fond of the Royal Blueberry courtesy of Emerald Spirit Botanicals). A farmer-focused retail model? Check (craft cultivators need this more than ever). A passion for the planet? Check (crucial in the modern era).
After my visit, I discovered Solful is an advertising client of GreenState’s parent company, Hearst Newspapers. And while I discovered the retailer of my dreams organically, I was pleased to learn that I had colleagues working to amplify Solful’s important work. The dispensary is a diamond in the rough, and I truly wish more places operated on their principles: a place for everyone, run by people who care.
