Sound Stories. Sound Voices.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
You are on the KUOW archive site. Click here to go to our current site.
Washington became one of the first states to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2012. But there are a lot of challenges ahead: the state must set up a licensing system for marijuana growers and sellers, the federal government may mount a challenge, the need to set a new limit on amount of marijuana in the bloodstream for safe driving. And medical marijuana is still in the picture.Over the next several months we will be exploring the issue and tracking the impact of I-502.

Ike's Opens As Second Retail Pot Store In Seattle

About 20 people lined up Tuesday to be the first customers at Ike's Pot Shop at the corner of 23rd Avenue and East Union Street in the Central District. Ike's is the second retail pot store to open in Seattle.

Ryan Elbrecht was visiting from Fort Meyers, Florida, and arrived at 9:00 the night before so that he could be the first in line. "You go to prison for weed in Florida," he said. "Here you can buy it legally, it's not like I'm in the United States. It's cool as [expletive]!"

When the doors opened, a security guard checked IDs and let people in one-by-one. Once inside, customers are greeted by a gleaming display of carefully packaged pot.

"We have flower, we have edibles, we have vape oil, we have vape pens, so pretty good range of products," said Ian Eisenberg. He's the Ike in Uncle Ike's.

Eisenberg is excited about the new store, but he says he has to balance attracting customers with keeping the neighbors happy.

"We're close to Madison Park, Capitol Hill, the Central District, and it'll be more responsibility for us to manage the crowds and manage the people," said Eisenberg. "People do live around here, and there's families around here, so we have to take that into consideration."

The neighbors seemed generally positive about the opening.  One man said he hoped it could draw more businesses to the corner.

Three other retail pot stores are expected to open around Seattle in the coming weeks. Pot sales in Washington state have totaled $18.7 million so far and $4 million have gone to taxes.