Family businesses hope to benefit the community
Doug Taylor, manager of Grady’s Cannabis, at 111 N. Main St. of Aztec, and Amanda Hatch assist customers Oct. 1 (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Jennifer and Jonathan Grady and Gregory and Lena Hill are deeply invested and committed to the cannabis business. The Gradys grow cannabis on their Bloomfield farm and operate Grady’s Cannabis Retail Store in Azteca.
The Hills ventured into new business territory after Greg Hill’s employment in the mining industry ended abruptly after 14 years. With the legalization of cannabis in New Mexico on June 29, 2021, they saw cannabis as the most promising and lucrative direction to go.
They love the historic downtown Farmington location they chose for their retail store, The Alchemist, at 115 W. Main St.
Tory Shane, farm manager for GCI Farming and Grady’s Greenhouse, harvests the sativa plant Oct. 1 at the farm in southeast Bloomfield. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
“I was told it was originally a pharmacy,” Hill said. So for him, it’s coming full circle, in The Alchemist. Nostalgic energy permeates the open, airy space, which he believes is “the best-looking store in town,” with “its turn-of-the-century vibe.”
Sales of recreational cannabis and medical marijuana have steadily increased in recent months. According to the NM Cannabis Control Division website, Farmington had $192,284 in medical sales and $608,371 in recreational sales for a total of $800,655 in October, a significant increase from the $666,135 mark in April 2022 .
There are forty-one medical marijuana/recreational cannabis outlets in San Juan County, according to the Medical Marihuana Dispensaries website. Within Farmington city limits, 12 retailers are registered to sell recreational cannabis products, which include cannabis flower buds, pre-rolled flowers, gummies, CBD oil and accessories.
Bloomfield has issued four cannabis licenses for cultivation and cultivation and has two applications for retail dispensaries that have not yet been approved, according to Bloomfield City Clerk Crystal Martinez Hornberger. The city of Kirtland has a store in the city limits, which is working to open soon.
Jennifer Grady and her husband, Jonathan, opened Grady’s Cannabis, at 111 N. Main Ave. of Aztec, on June 6. After years of growing chiles, corn, pumpkins and other produce on their 280-acre USDA-certified organic farm in Bloomfield, they saw benefits from cannabis. Understanding the unpredictability of the retail business, the Gradys still envision steady growth for their new venture.
Their main product is cannabis flower, an indica hybrid strain, along with cannabis and pre-rolled gummies. The price per gram, $11 to $18, is based on THC potency, which typically ranges from 15% to 25%. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects because it acts very similarly to cannabinoid chemicals made naturally by the body, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse .
“Cannabis” refers to all products derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, while the plant contains about 540 chemical substances. Indica is the most relaxing strain, while sativa stimulates the senses, as stated on the NIDA website.
The Gradys try to buy flowers in the 18% to 25% THC range for the store.
“If we have a grower that cures really well … like big, heavy buds … when it looks like that, we can charge more,” Jennifer Grady said. “Because it’s harvest time, there’s a lot of produce and varieties available.”
Grady’s Cannabis, at 111 N. Main Ave. in Aztec A 1951 Chevy truck is a centerpiece.
Jennifer and Jonathan Grady opened Grady’s Cannabis at 111 N. Main Ave. from Aztec. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)
Combined, the Gradys have more than 50 years of hands-on contact with agriculture and farming. They joined the business “wanting to do something new and different with their large-scale farming experience, and aim to promote their Farmers First brand.
Jennifer Grady would like to counter the social stigma associated with growing and buying cannabis.
“We’re just changing the view of the dispensary. … It doesn’t have the medical feel, like you’re doing something wrong … that you have to go in behind closed doors.”
Cannabis culture is changing perceptions and the Gradys aim to drive quality control through proper branding to identify product sources and growers. “This is an agricultural product!” she stated.
Community is a priority for them, as evidenced by their donation of sweet corn to school districts. They hope to unite cannabis growers in San Juan County and across the state with a brand that recognizes Farmers First and highlights the importance of farmers and the use of practical and sustainable growing techniques.
Attesting to their creative bent, they’ve placed a 1951 Chevy farm truck as a nostalgic centerpiece in their shop. With deep roots in agriculture and a love for product purity, the Gradys are optimistic about the continued growth of their business.
Since all products must be procured from within the state, none can cross state borders, supply of quality products could become a problem. Hill said he’s “not really” worried about the supply issue. “It’s just a waiting game, it is what it is … two to six weeks.”
“We’ve had eight or 10 different growers in the last month and a half,” Hill said, and they’re all in San Juan County.
The hardest part of the business for Hill is “the fact that it’s a new business.” “I loved my job. … It’s not about the money. It’s about the people I’ve worked with … providing affordable, clean coal to our community. This was my retirement job.” He proudly displays the last two pieces of coal he took out of the mine.
The Hills went to Denver to buy classic bar cabinets featured as display cases that originated in Massachusetts.
The cabinet behind the antique bar accentuates the mood at The Alchemist. (David Edward Albright/Durango Herald)
The outlook is bright for the Hills and business is good.
“Our family is here, the grandchildren are here. We help build a new community. … We review the center”, he said.
“We were the first cannabis business (in Farmington) to have a red ribbon cut and be in the Chamber of Commerce,” said Lena Hill, pointing to the framed licenses.
Their state-issued “courier license” will allow them to deliver directly to their prepaid customers. Greg expects deliveries to be a big part of his business, especially during the winter.
Daily specials are posted on their website, thealchemistllc.com, and Hill suggested consumers download the leafly app from leafly.com.
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald1001-22-Aztec- Gradys Cannabis, at 111 North Main, Aztec, opened Saturday by Jennifer Grady and her husband, Jonathan.
Jerry McBride
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald1001-22- Bloomfield- Jennifer Grady, co-owner of GCI Farming and Gradys Greenhouse, checks organic corn on the farms Saturday at the organic farm of Jonathan Gradys and her husband southeast of Bloomfield.
Jerry McBride
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald1001-22- Bloomfield- Jennifer Grady and her husband Jonathan Grady, owners of GCI Farming and Gradys Greenhouse, pick pumpkins Saturday at their organic farm in southeast Bloomfield.
Jerry McBride
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald1001-22- Bloomfield- Jennifer Grady and Jonathan Gradys organic GCI Farming operation and Gradys Greenhouse in southeast Bloomfield.
Jerry McBride
Jerry McBride/Durango Herald1001-22- Bloomfield- Jennifer Grady, co-owner of GCI Farming and Gradys Greenhouse, checks organic corn on the farms Saturday at the organic farm of Jonathan Gradys and her husband southeast of Bloomfield.
Jerry McBride
