Hoping to make a splash in a crowded pond, big fish Canopy Growth is expanding its retail network into Alberta with 10 new Tokyo Smoke and Tweed stores.
Starting August 28, seven stores opened in Calgary as well as one each in Edmonton, Spruce Grove, and Lethbridge, creating over 100 jobs in the area. Of those, seven were Tokyo Smoke and three were Tweed.
According to Lacey Norton, Canopy Growth’s Head of Retail, the company has been seeing a lot of success with their products being sold by third-party retailers, so it only made sense to open a few branded stores.
“Alberta has been on our radar for quite some time,” she says. “It’s a market that we just knew we wanted to be a part of, and we are excited to be coming into the market, creating over 100 jobs in the province, while supporting the overall industry growth not only in the province but as industry leaders in Canada.”
Back in 2017, one of the first Tokyo Smoke coffee shops in western Canada was opened in Calgary, so the company feels like it’s coming back to its roots. The purpose of the original coffee shops was to help create a conversation about cannabis, and they have been continuing that as a cannabis retailer.
“Tokyo Smoke and Tweed are both education-led experiences,” Norton says. “Tokyo Smoke is designed on an intent-based system that guides consumers through the experience they are hoping to achieve. It’s community-based, with a modern design edge.”
Two of the new Tokyo Smoke locations are even partnering with local artist Rhys Douglas Farrell and Calgary-based animator and illustrator Tyler Lemermeyer to commission unique, custom murals.
Tweed, on the other hand, is, as Norton called it, your friendly neighbourhood cannabis store. It offers the same education-led experience and community vibes as Tokyo smoke, but with a more “old-school” customer in mind.
As is the norm these days, increased health protocols will be in effect at every new store, but Tokyo Smoke and Tweed still try to foster a welcoming environment for seasoned users and canna-curious customers alike.
By August 31, a total of three Tokyo Smoke stores and two Tweed stores had opened, with the remaining two opening in the first two weeks of September. Before opening the stores in Alberta, Canopy Growth operated 27 Tokyo Smoke locations in Manitoba and Ontario, and 20 Tweed stores across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador.