Friday, December 27, 2013

Thousands apply for Washington's new pot market

Posted By on Fri, Dec 27, 2013 at 10:32 AM

The application window for hopeful entrepreneurs looking to take part in Washington's new marijuana market closed last week. Now the Washington State Liquor Control Board will begin sifting through applications and granting licenses to grow, process and sell pot. It other words, we're getting there, people. (Colorado, on the other hand, is already issuing licenses.)

The final numbers released by the Washington State Liquor Control Board Tuesday show more than 3,700 applications for producer, processor and retailer licenses. The board plans to license any qualifying producer or processor, but a lottery will determine which qualifying retail applicants get lucky. (Each county has a limit on how many stores will be allowed; Spokane County will get 18.)

It's no surprise that the west side dominates among applicants, but Spokane County won't be left out. Of the applications filed, 169 producer applications were for operation in Spokane County, along with 118 processor applications and 64 retail applications. You can browse the full list — with addresses and an array of fantastic business names — in an excel document available for download here (click "Marijuana License Applicants," about halfway down the list).

Not to discount the importance of what many hope will be a groundbreaking new industry here, but these are among the things applicants hope to name their businesses:

BigBadBud

Chronic Situation

Hempalayas

Monkeyjunk

Trail Blazin' Productions

It's A Plant's Life

Bokesmowl

Buds For Life

Buds Forever

Buds Shop

Budtender

Can't Stop Smackin'

Dank's Wonder Emporium

Green Bubba

Green Grasshopper

Green Kiss

Happy Daze

Hard Pot Cafe

Need4Weed

Recreational Marijuana King

The Bud Hut

The Bud Lady

The Chronicle

The Sticky Icky Shop

Weed World

Weed-R-Us

Weedsdom

Weesmokes

Ye Olde Dope Shoppe

Seriously, guys?

The liquor board says it expects to license qualified growers and processors in February or March and stores after that. More about just what applicants had to do to qualify here.

Sign up for updates from the board's listserv here.

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Heidi Groover

Heidi Groover is a staff writer at the Inlander, where she covers city government and drug policy. On the job, she's spent time with prostitutes, "street kids," marriage equality advocates and the family of a 16-year-old organ donor...