Former Seattle Supersonic Shawn Kemp is opening his very own dispensary right in the heart of Seattle. Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis, located at 3035 1st Ave. This is not only an accomplishment for him but one for the entire black community, as this becomes the first black-owned dispensary in Seattle.
Grand Opening
Grand OpeningThe six-time NBA All-Star power forward is set for the grand opening on Friday, Oct. 30. Joining him is former teammate and Hall of Famer Gary Payton. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 12:45 pm, along with the public’s official opening 15 minutes later. Both Kemp and Payton will be available for photos between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
“I’m looking forward to welcoming Sonics fans regularly, starting with opening day,” said Kemp in a press release.
During the grand opening, a new art piece will be unveiled on the building’s exterior. The mural is done by local muralist, Jeff Jacobson, also known as Weirdo. The 30-by-80-foot mural is rich in color and will illustrate Kemp playing basketball in his Seattle Supersonics uniform.
Kemp calls Seattle home and has invested in the city through several business ventures. He’s not alone in this new cannabis venture. Alongside him industry veterans Matt Schoenlein and Ramsey Hamide, two of the co-founders of Main Street Marijuana.
Main Street Marijuana has three locations in Washing. These three shops have created $150 million in sales and contributed to more than $55 million in excise tax. With these numbers, it’s easy to understand why the company has remained the number one cannabis retailer in the state of Washington since the company’s inception in 2014.
More Than Another Dispensary
This is Kemp’s first crack at the cannabis industry. With the partners behind him, he’s confident this will be a success. It also helps that it’s near the Climate Pledge Arena and famed Space Needle.
“My name is on this company, and I have worked hard to bring Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis to fruition,” said Kemp. “I want to provide nothing short of the best selection, customer experience, and prices in Seattle. I have incredible partners in Matt Schoenlein and Ramsey Hamide to make sure we deliver on that promise to our customers, who are our top priority.”
While high-quality cannabis is Kemp’s main priority for this company, what he’s accomplished for Seattle’s cannabis industry is much more important. This being Seattle’s first Black-owned dispensary is the foot in the door for other hopeful black dispensary owners in the area.
“I hope that Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis will be an inspiration for people to get involved with the legal cannabis industry, especially people of color,” said Kemp.
Kemp spent the first eight years of his 14-year NBA career with the Supersonics. With this investment, he looks forward to being a role model for future license recipients. They will have to apply through the state’s upcoming social equity program, created earlier this year.
Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis will be open from 8 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. daily and offer express order kiosks, online ordering, and curbside pickup. Health and safety measures will include social distancing protocols and mask requirements per state mandates. More information is available by calling (206) 345-0009, at www.KempsCannabis.com, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
