Have you ever wondered what goes on INSIDE the dispensary in Illinois? For starters, we do not roll joints in the back! That is super illegal according to Illinois state cannabis regulations. In fact, even opening a product in-store after you’ve purchased is illegal too.  
 
Due to Illinois State Restrictions and how they regulate in-store procedures, a lot of issues concerning trust and transparency have resurfaced time & time again for new or returning consumers of cannabis.  

From flower/concentrates not weighing the correct amount, to order completion processes, and product availability. We want to clear the air and dispel any assumptions people may have about what happens "behind the scenes" at our cannabis dispensaries and tell you directly we do, in our store.  

Pre-Packaged Containers/Inventory Count 

Everything that is purchased in the dispensary is pre-packaged. The positives for pre-packaged containers are things like the tamper-proof and air-tight seals that guarantee the product hasn't opened since its original packaging, (which under the right conditions, could imply the product is curing until the consumer opens it!)  

Another positive is speed and efficiency in-store since we don't have to weigh or roll anything ourselves. 

Some of the negatives of pre-packaging are the amount of waste it produces and that it removes the ability to see or smell anything before purchase, which is initially how most people determine the quality of cannabis.  

After a cannabis plant reaches over six inches in height, Illinois requires a tracking number to be created for the plant that will follow the plant through growth, packaging, transit, and purchase. We are required to provide the state with daily inventory counts for all products, guaranteeing that everything is accounted for. This tracking process (plus 24/7 camera surveillance) ensures that every item, whether a 0.5g pre-roll or 28g flower, can be traced until it’s legal purchase. That means we count every...single..item...every single day.  

After Purchase Protocol

After a purchase is completed in-store, you will receive a receipt with a number on top to hold onto, and a duplicate receipt will be printed out at our picking station. The products are selected from our inventory and laid out under a camera to display and verify each item's quantity and tracking number. Once the items are confirmed, we will call your number and ensure the order is yours by viewing your copy of the receipt.  

Due to state restrictions, we cannot allow products to be opened on the premises, but we highly recommend holding onto your receipt and reviewing your order as soon as possible in case there is some manufacturing issue or a rare incorrectly picked item from our team (we are human after all).  

Reach out to  high@sparkdcannabis.com and we will be more than willing to resolve the issue as soon as we can! 

Pre-orders 

Our Online Store offers the ability to create a pre-order (with an account) that will reserve the items in your order until the end of our business hours that day. At the end of each night, all orders are deleted and returned to the available inventory for the next day. If needed, adjustments can be made to the pre-order while in-store at the register.  

Destruction/Return Process 

Once a product has left our store and been opened, we cannot take any returns or exchanges, but if the circumstances are justified (manufacturer/store error) we can offer store credit to refund up to the amount of your purchase. 

If something does break in store, or say the tamper seal opens while the product is in our inventory, we have to do something we all really dont love. The state requires us to "render cannabis waste unusable, grind and mix the cannabis waste with other ground materials so the resulting mixture is at least 50% non-cannabis waste by volume."  

What that looks like is microwaving (state-recommended technique) expired gummies until they become liquid and then blending with an equal amount of compostable material. We don’t like to do it, but we have to by law.  

No Association with a Grow/Curated Menu 

Since we do not have a direct affiliation with any supplier, we are able to curate our menus based on quality instead of brand devotion. For some, quality is relative to budget or value, others derive quality from the effect, THC percentage, or another valuable aspect. Our goal is to provide a menu intriguing to all consumers of quality and consistently diversify our selection of products so you can always try something new in addition to finding your favorites. 

We do what we can with what we have. As lovers of the plant, our devotion to present + deliver the most accurate information about the product your purchasing is key to how we do things at Spark'd.

Stay in the loop with us on all platforms at @sparkdannabis.com.