Purple Plains
CANNABIS CENTRAL…
RIGHT IN POUND RIDGE
Cannabis is legal for regulated ‘recreational’ sale, and permitted use in most places where smoking a cigarette is allowed, in both New York and Connecticut. However, by quirk of law, exercise of government, and twist of fate, Purple Plains - located at 32 Westchester Avenue in Pound Ridge - is the only licensed cannabis store in all of Northern Westchester, New Canaan, Darien, and Ridgefield!
Mark Buzzetto, who owns and operates Purple Plains together with his fiancée, Sophia Mortell, recounts, “We were interested in opening a store as soon as we saw the possibility of legalization. I’d been a co-owner of the Four Seasons Flower Shop in Mount Kisco with my father for six years at this point, so I had a solid understanding of running a retail operation. I figured selling cannabis flower, to what is the majority of the public that consume it on a regular or occasional basis, would be more lucrative than selling traditional flowers that wilt and are mostly reserved for special occasions. We had arranged a business plan, hired an attorney, and originally hoped to open a store in White Plains. When New York started accepting license applications, we were applicant number thirty-four out of thousands and didn’t think we stood much of a chance. …Our hopes were buoyed when the State published guidelines stating that applicants with a prior marijuana conviction who also owned a successful business would receive the first 150 licenses. …As luck would have it, I had a conviction for possession of a few joints from when I got caught in the parking lot of Shea Stadium at 18 years old while on my way to see a Mets game. I thought it was bad luck then, but it turned out to be very good luck in terms of securing the license!”
“When this opportunity to open in Pound Ridge presented itself, we jumped on it!” Mark continues. “I grew up in Mount Kisco and Sophia grew up in Chappaqua, so we know the community really well. We first met about five years ago, when Sophia was working as a cartgirl at a country club where I was golfing. We had only been dating for about a year when we decided to start this business together…and now, just four years later, here we are!”
“When I was designing the store, I really wanted it to feel warm and inviting to our customers,” Sophia explains. “I didn't want it to feel at all like going to your typical dispensary or smoke shop. Most other dispensaries I've been to feel more like going to the DMV and don't allow people to relax and enjoy their shopping experience. A lot of people still have a stigma about these places, and we're very focused on changing that,” Sophia says. “We also very passionately educate our customers about the products we carry - especially for our customers that are new to cannabis or first-time-in-a-long-time consumers. We want to guide them so they feel comfortable and confident in the products they are trying. We encourage all of our customers to take advantage of the opportunity to smell our flower - just like you would before buying a perfume or a bottle of wine - because different aromas can lead to different experiences…an earthy scent usually corresponds to a more relaxed experience, while citrus or fruity notes often suggest a more upbeat high. No matter what your level of experience, there’s no intimidation or stigma in asking questions. …And Mark or I are almost always in the store, and we have incredibly knowledgeable budtenders who love helping people just as much as we do.”
“I'm extremely picky about what products I carry in the store." Mark declares. “We sell flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, a variety of edibles, tinctures, topical balms and even cannabis beverages. In each of these product categories, I'm very selective about quality. I would never sell something to a customer that I wouldn’t smoke myself, and I have pretty high standards.
There are over 500 licensed growers and product manufacturers in the state of New York, but I only carry products from about 30 of them. While I frequently travel to visit growers and manufacturing facilities, most of them actually come to our store to show us their products. I always ask about each grower’s sources and methods, and I wait for their best batch. Almost all of the flower I buy comes directly from the grower, whereas other stores might be purchasing from name brands that are, essentially, middlemen. This means our product is fresher and better quality than what may be available in other stores."
“The closest stores to our area are in Connecticut, but no store there can come close to what we have to offer,” Mark says rather matter-of-factly. “While New York has hundreds of licensed growers and processors to choose from, Connecticut is limited to just over a dozen. The impact on supply, quality, selection, freshness, and price is obvious - Connecticut stores end up buying whatever they can get. They offer a more limited selection in each product category and have to sell their products at higher prices than those generally available in New York. In addition, Connecticut has a much smaller legal purchase limit, does not allow the sale of concentrates, and limits gummy potency to 5mg per gummy. They also don’t allow customers to see or smell their products before purchasing. ”
PHOTO: JENNIFER BARRETT AT NEW LIGHT CREATIVE SERVICES
“Although we initially thought we wanted to open in White Plains before choosing Pound Ridge - because we believed population density was the key driver in this business - we hadn’t accounted for the number of stores that would be permitted in White Plains and the surrounding areas. These city stores are forced to compete with one another by carrying every product and sacrificing quality, whereas our location supports our focus on stocking more premium products" Mark says. “We love that Purple Plains feels like a ‘country store’!”
“Beyond the quality and variety of our offering, I take pride in our efforts at Purple Plains to spend time with each customer who wants education, advice, or opinion. We help familiarize newcomers with the differences between indica and sativa, and how to use each of our products. But we also support more experienced users - and even connoisseurs - with detailed information about each product," Mark says. "One thing we hear a lot is customers asking for the highest THC percentage. Tetrahydracannibanol, or ‘THC’, is the active ingredient in cannabis, and many people think a higher percentage means a stronger high. I do my best to teach them that higher THC doesn't actually equal a stronger effect. There are lots of other factors, like terpenes and freshness, that influence the experience even more than THC. …I've changed many customers’ minds and now some are buying strains with as little as 13% THC - with better effects! I always say, you wouldn't go into a liquor store and ask them for the bottle of wine with the highest alcohol percentage. It's the same thing here."
“If you want a basic breakdown, our average customer is in their forties, and flower accounts for about 50% of our total sales,” Mark says. “We offer free delivery, but people haven’t really been taking advantage of it, and it probably accounts for only about 10% of our sales. I think that’s because most of our customers like to come in and see, touch, and smell the products we have in stock at any given time. And while we maintain inventory on many of our favorite products, we're constantly stocking our shelves with new strains, brands, and product variety. Our store is pretty spacious, so it never feels too crowded. We have six computer terminals available for placing orders in-store, and plenty of budtenders, so it rarely takes more than a few minutes to process an order. Customers can also order online and just pop in to pick it up, and those pickup orders account for about a quarter of the in-store business ”
What Purple Plains doesn’t sell…is to minors! They strictly adhere to the legally prescribed limits of three ounces of flower plus twenty-four grams of concentrate per person per day. They also don’t sell hemp-derived products, since that market is unregulated, making product purity, potency, and effects uncertain. And if it’s something that can be purchased in a gas station or smoke shop…Purple Plains doesn’t sell it. …All products sold at Purple Plains are lab tested and clearly labeled with detailed product information. Everything about the legal recreational cannabis operation at Purple Plains is safe, removing any concerns about what’s in the bag or what’s been mixed into the edibles - not to mention the sketchyness of buying from an illegal dealer.
“We’re serving about 1,500 customers a week and have now sold products to about 30,000 distinct clients! While we have tons of local customers in Pound Ridge, the majority of our business comes from people who might not otherwise stop into town - people from Bedford, Armonk, Katonah, North and South Salem, and New Canaan, Darien, Ridgefield, Greenwich, Stamford, and Wilton. Purple Plains draws a lot of customers to Pound Ridge who don't just shop at our store - they stop in town and shop at our neighboring businesses as well! …In addition, we’re contributing taxes, as 3% of our gross sales goes to the Town,” Sophia details. “I think most people have come to realize that Purple Plains is good-for-business, and just plain good for Pound Ridge!”
“And we're good neighbors!” Mark declares. “Even though Federal and State laws prevent us from deducting promotional expenses - or basic expenses like rent for that matter - we still always say ‘yes’ to support just about every local organization and charity in the community. We sponsor a Men’s Softball Team in Mt. Kisco, the Pound Ridge Harvest Festival that just happened in October, and the Pound Ridge Car Show, to name just a few.”
“Moving forward, we’re interested in opening another store,” Mark projects. “Mt. Kisco would be a great location for us, and it would benefit the community by supplanting the current prevalent illegal sale of cannabis - or whatever is in the bag - including the widespread sale to minors.”
Sophia's dad, Jack Mortell, who has a background in IT, ensures the store is running smoothly by making sure all bills are paid and managing any technical issues that arise.
He also provides valuable insight as an accomplished business owner. Jack pays tribute, saying, "I'm really proud of the work Mark and Sophia have done at Purple Plains!", Then, unable to resist a little 'dad' humor, he declares, "Between all of us, it's a family affair! And it's a real 'joint' effort!"
