By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new recreational cannabis dispensary run by local entrepreneurs is set to open its doors this week.
Lyfe Dispensary plans to welcome its first customers Wednesday to its space at 6774 Troy Drive, which is just off East State Street near Aldi and Midland States Bank. The 11,500-square foot building has 8,000 square feet of retail and lobby space and there are 120 parking spots. Owners say it’s one of the largest cannabis dispensaries in the state.
The owners say their goal is to create a relaxed, welcoming and approachable retail environment that will make customers comfortable even if it’s their first time in a dispensary.
“We want to be a trusted partner in their journey,” said Michael Hodges, who owns Lyfe along with Reed Sjostrom and Dustin Koch. “We want to be known as a source of education, a source of knowledge where you can trust the information that’s given.”
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Hodges is the owner of a boutique sports management company called Artison Group and has years of experience in the cannabis industry in California. Sjostrom and Koch are the founders of Prairie Street Brewing Co., a brewpub and event space at 200 Prairie St. in downtown.
The group spent months renovating the former World Gym to create a bright, open retail floor that features 20 interactive kiosks that allow for a self-guided tour through the product selection. There are also sections for merchandise and accessories, and there are two private consultation rooms if you want to have a conversation with a wellness provider.
An open house was held Saturday to show off the space before the team is expected to start stocking its cannabis product early this week.
“We’re trying to create a retail scene,” Hodges said. “We want to be about customer service. We want to provide education. We want a beautiful space. We want anybody to feel comfortable coming in. That’s who we are at our heart.”
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Recreational marijuana was legalized in Illinois on Jan. 1, 2020, and the state limits the number of dispensaries that can operate in each region of Illinois.
Lyfe has been in the works for years to get to its opening. In July 2021, it won a conditional cannabis adult-use license in a state’s qualified applicant lottery. It’s now fully licensed to operate an adult-use cannabis dispensary.
Lyfe plans to promote craft growers as it curates its menu, and it wants to provide the best prices possible.
“We want our guests to leave here feeling like a win,” Hodges said. “The people who come in here. We want them to feel like they got value.”
There are two other state-licensed dispensaries inside the city limits: Mapleglen Care Center, 4777 Stenstrom Road, and Sunnyside, 2696 McFarland Road.
There is also one in Loves Park, The Happy Cannabis Co., 4120 N. Bell School Road, and South Beloit, Sunnyside at 7000 First Ranger Drive.
Aroma Hill, 1874 Crystal Parkway, opened on Saturday in Belvidere.
About | Lyfe Dispensary
Where: 6774 Troy Drive, Rockford
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
On the web: lyfeil.com
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas