Blüm, a dispensary chain expanding from Las Vegas and Oakland, opens its newest location at 9 a.m. on January 2 in Reno's Midtown neighborhood, marking the area's first medical marijuana outlet. Situated at the former Scotland Yard Spy Shop on 1085 S. Virginia St., the facility already welcomes patients for registration ahead of a grand opening on January 12. This arrival fills a gap in Northern Nevada's cannabis market, where only four other dispensaries operate within Reno-Sparks city limits.
A Sleek Space for Medical Patients
The interior resembles a modern doctor's office, with a sign-in area, lobby, and nine "bud bars" where patients present doctor's notes to purchase cannabis. Clean lines and professional design dominate the 25-person space, though DOPE magazines on tables hint at its purpose. Hours run from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, extending to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Assistant manager Michael Barton calls it "nature's nontoxic medicine." Manager Bree Kasper oversees operations, while assistant manager Lucas Farrell notes the local clientele skews heavily toward baby boomers—about three-quarters of customers at prior dispensaries. This demographic shift reflects Northern Nevada's distinct market compared to Southern Nevada.
Expansion Amid Regulatory Shifts
Owned by publicly traded Terra Tech in Newport Beach, California, Blüm partners locally with developer Heidi Hegerich through the MediFarm LLC. The chain sources high-end medical cannabis from four Nevada cultivators and seven production firms, adhering to state laws requiring in-state purchases. Blüm stands out as Northern Nevada's first authorized to package its own products in glass bottles that preserve potency, according to spokesman Mikel Alvarez.
Plans for the site date to 2015, when MediFarm bought the $1.2 million property, but delays pushed the opening from April 2016. Terra Tech prioritized three Las Vegas locations first, prompting refinements to avoid similar issues in Reno. Nevada's early adoption of medical marijuana, with lenient rules like non-resident business ownership and multi-state reciprocity for patients, eased this entry. The state's recent ballot measure legalizing recreational use for adults over 21—up to one ounce of marijuana or one-eighth ounce of concentrate—promises growth, though dispensaries await further regulations to sell non-medical products.
Market Growth in Northern Nevada
This Blüm site becomes the 10th medical dispensary in Northern Nevada, per Nevada Department of Health and Human Services records, in a fast-developing Midtown hub. Expansion followed Blüm's success in Oakland and Southern Nevada, with two more Bay Area sites planned. Alvarez highlighted market space in the north after initial southern focus.
Nevada's framework positions businesses like Blüm for expansion as recreational rules solidify. Patients from other states already access services legally, broadening the customer base amid rising acceptance of cannabis for medical needs.
