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Marijuana retailer hopes to open soon in Great Falls

Jackee Beck, director of operations at Top Shelf Botanicals
Posted at 12:49 PM, Jan 02, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-02 15:06:22-05

GREAT FALLS - There will be a new marijuana retailer in the coming months within Great Falls, the first of its kind.

Top Shelf Botanicals is a chain with several locations in Montana. Jackee Beck is the brand’s director of operations, and she says they’ve had their eyes on a Great Falls presence ever since the referendum to allow the sale of marijuana within city limits was placed on the midterm ballots.

Now that the sale of marijuana is legal in town, Top Shelf Botanicals has had its permit accepted and begun moving ahead with plans to construct its retail space in the Wheat Building, adjacent to Howard’s Pizza on Sixth Street SW.

“I get daily phone calls, daily emails, everyone is super excited. Great Falls, being one of the larger cities in Montana, has the fewest number of dispensaries. So we're extremely excited about the opportunity,” said Beck.

The business still has to acquire local and state licenses before they can legally sell their marijuana products, but they hope to acquire both soon and told KRTV they are aiming at a March 2023 opening.

Tom Micuda, the deputy director of Community & Planning Development for the city of Great Falls, says his office has received several calls the last couple of months, gauging interest in dispensary operation in town.

“We do have a second dispensary that has started the formal process with us for a property at 1700 Vaughn Road. We're actually in the process of reviewing that request. The name of the business would be Great Northern Naturals,” says Micuda.

Beck is eager to share her product with a new clientele base.

“The industry is inevitable, and I think the state is realizing that and county for county they're realizing that. Great Falls has done a great job moving forward with the correct steps, but also, you know, with caution and consideration for all the people,” says Beck.