Vote 2,

The city likes to see things complicated but It's really pretty simple... the Laws regarding selling and being a caretaker are so limited that no one really knows what to tell you... thats a good thing. your permits and licenses are going to be limited. you need register as a buisnes entity so you can pay taxes (local, state, federal). other then that you just need to make sure your place is zoned for the type of business you are doing... I'm not 100% sure but i would guess that it would be retail. the Health Dept is only concerned with food. The fire dept just wants to know that no one is going to get trapped in your place if it burns down. You just have to check with zoning to make sure your in the right part of town. Public works is not going to bother you if it was something else before you moved in. The treasury dept has nothing to do with you opening and i don't even know what the permit dept is... every dept issues it's own permits if necessary.

I know this stuff because i am trying to open a nightclub in Aurora and, as you might guess, that is like navigating land minds when it comes to licenses and permits... If your not building something from the ground up then it really shouldn't be a hard process. Get yourself an accountant and most of the headaches will go away

hope that help easy your mind a bit.

Anthony

The BEST thing I could suggest is to get a GOOD Lawyer. We are completely licensed and operating within all of our City, County, and State municipalities. The other important thing is to be sure to register with your local City "Sales Tax and Use" Dept.. Make sure to file your taxes on time with the city, be it Monthly, or Quarterly.

I am not sure what 15 Dispensaries in the Denver area you called or are referring to, but I do know of several that are operating within 100% of all the guidelines. Running a Dispensary isn't that difficult. It is just another business that is evolving. I own several other businesses in the Denver area and the Dispensary is no more or less difficult to run that the others.....IMO.

Mike

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Green Mountain Group

Yeah EXCEPT a night club doesn't sell weed... legally at any rate, this guy wants to be as legal as possible, he wants SOLID advise not shaky at best.
Get an atourney, SERIOUSLY, you will most likely need one at some point anyways, so might as well have one handy. If you already paid 6 months rent you want to make sure you can be open that long, to atleast make that back. Don't just get a business license and open up, a weed shop is suppose to be more like a rx store (regualted) so yeah your gonna need some permits and licenses.

Good luck "Bud"if I was in your state I would love to be your first umm patient... lol

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“trust our government officials and just take the damn vaccine!” - NBC puppet Dr. Nancy Snyderman

It's really not that hard. There is considerable startup cost, however, think about $20,000 not counting medicine. Right off the bat you should get a lawyer and accountant. Decide your business structure, i.e. non-profit, llc, sole-proprietorship, etc. Obtain Federal Employer ID #, also you need a CO State Business license and local sales tax permits. If you sell edibles you need FDA and state food licenses (not 100% about your area). You need a clear plan on how to deal with new patients, keep current ones, have enough medicine so you are covered both legally and dont run out. You can call us and check out our facility, we're in the Springs. We do everything by the book, 2 lawyers come in monthly just to make sure. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

**Note~ Lately, I have been in some serious discussions involving the taxation of medicine. No other medication is taxed in the US, however cannabis is being taxed in Colorado, mostly to keep the heat off. We pay several $thousand each month in sales tax, but morally, I don't know if I feel right about taxing a necessity. I hope this is cleared up soon.**

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Bob the Farmer
The Highlands Cooperative

I'd like to help you out. I am a cardholder, and I have started several small businesses in Denver, including one that focuses on permitting for developments, new businesses, etc. I know the zoning department, fire department, building departments well. I also own an art gallery with my wife. I have been thinking about setting up a dispensary myself but would like to do it with someone as my growing skills are probably not up to what they would need to be.... BUT, I can run a business and have been navigating bureaucratic minefields for 10+ years.

Also, to the guy starting an aurora nightclub, we should talk. I can probably help you out too. Let me know.
Mark

I myself, am in the process of opening a Dispensary in Western Colorado. It's going to be in a very small town, with a lot of hicks, and I'm pretty freaked out about having to make a proposal to the City Council. I'm really not even sure if I need to or not, but I figure it would'nt be a bad idea. Should I try to have a lawyer with me when I go in to speak with City Council?

ALWAYS have an Attorney with you when trying to set a business up.
And yes I would recommend talking to City Counsel. Hit them up with ideas. Like may be they have a vacant building that you could lease for a low fee. Offer to have law enforcement come check your place out at will (may cut down or eliminate robberies). Get on a bus route. There are many advantages to having the city behind you if you can make that happen and an Attorney would be able to help you approach the City.
Good Luck and much success.

pp69

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I'm not a Gynecologists, but I'll take a look!

Co. Med patient and Caregiver!