Girl Scouts are a clever little bunch of entrepreneurs, but perhaps none as much as this troop, which set up camp outside of a weed dispensary to sell the much-loved cookies. The group of Chicago scouts set up outside a dispensary called Dispensary 33 with high hopes. They ended up taking home quite a few sales because, hello, munchies.
Everyone knows that marijuana and cookies go together like peanut butter and jelly, so of course, there was money to be made. But they also got a bit of internet fame, too. The dispensary shared a video of the troop, captioning it: "Reporting to you live at Dispensary 33. We have Girl Scout cookies!! And not just the cannabis kind. Support your local Girl Scouts with us." The video quickly made its way around the internet because it's just too funny and clever not to love.
With marijuana being legalized all over the place, that means it's more common for people with all kinds of medical issues, as well as those who enjoy smoking recreationally, to get the weed at a dispensary. That may mean lots of opportunity for entrepreneurs with other projects or food items they might also enjoy.
This particular dispensary also sells a strain of cannabis called “Girl Scout Cookie," so it really was a home run for anyone who enjoys a little puff and a cookie to go with it.
These Girl Scouts definitely had the right idea when they set up outside of the dispensary. But apparently they weren't the only ones! The troop reached out to Dispensary33 to see if it could sell outside the dispensary. Abigail Watkins, marketing and outreach manager for the dispensary, said the store happily agreed. I mean, why not? It seems like it would only bring more people in.
Apparently, the troop was one of a few local troops to reach out to the dispensary, which plans to have different troops selling cookies on upcoming weekends, Watkins said. What a great business plan, not to mention a great one-stop-shop for hungry marijuana smokers.
The dispensary posted a recent tweet saying it will have troops selling cookies outside the store every weekend through February. It really seems to be mutually beneficial to the businesses and the clients.
“The cookies they’re selling and our clientele, it’s a great match,” she said. “As a former Girl Scout, I admire the hustle.”
Melissa Soukup is a leader of a Andersonville-area Brownie Girl Scout troop. She got the idea to open a booth outside the dispensary from a police officer, she said. That sounds like a very weed-friendly cop! She said the officer visited her troop’s cookie booth last year and made the suggestion and so this year, she decided to try it out.
“We try to meet goals so the girls can win prizes,” she said. “We’re always looking for opportunities, places that have walking traffic. I was looking for places that weren’t taken, and I thought of this.”
She brought her daughter and two other Brownies to Dispensary33 where security helped the troop set up the booth. The girls were able to sell about 230 boxes in four hours. Not a bad haul!
It seems like the idea has turned out to be a huge hit, and on social media, too. But Dispensary33’s customers have definitely enjoyed the joint efforts. So, did the staff, who also bought cookies on breaks. Overall, it seemed like a very supportive environment.
“People were having fun,” Watkins said. “Everyone loves Girl Scout cookies. They were undeniably cute.” And undeniably ambitious! This is definitely a great lesson in seeking out good selling opportunities, that's for sure.
There haven't been any issues in Chicago with this practice. The Girl Scouts organization allows members to conduct “booth sales” outside legally owned businesses, including dispensaries, said Britney Bouie, spokeswoman for the local Girl Scouts group. But there has been some back and forth elsewhere. Colorado initially banned the practice, but then overturned the ban later.
This is definitely a new trend, but it seems like most people are in support. It will be interesting to see if it continues or what other clever tricks the Girl Scouts think of next. Either way, those are some smart cookies!
