It’s no surprise that cannabis and music go hand-in-hand and have for multiple decades. While each person’s musical tastes differ, there’s no denying that when you pair cannabis with your favourite song, you have a truly elevated experience. Knowing this and leveraging it to offer Canadians a truly unique offering, Westleaf Cannabis Inc. created its retail banner, Prairie Records. This retail store merges the instinctual ties between cannabis and music to create an unprecedented in-store retail experience, replicating a modern-day record shop. Adam Coates, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Westleaf Cannabis Inc., has been spearheading the retail brand strategy and believes it will be well received with consumers when the company rolls out its national retail footprint later this year. “Whether you are a cannabis connoisseur or a first-time user, Prairie Records will offer a welcoming and memorable environment to everyone who walks through the doors,” says Coates.
The in-store design will provide a cool ambiance with a retro-style feel that is both modern and sophisticated. From record store display fixtures to listening stations with curated beats that compliment specific strains to private nooks for consultations, Prairie Records will offer consumers a highly interactive in-store experience, which replicates an iconic but contemporary record shop. Prairie Records will take you back to the days of browsing through records—with a specially curated cannabis twist. Each store will be stocked with ‘album covers,’ but instead of track lists and album credits, the covers will include strain information, the format, consumption methods, as well as the THC and CBD levels. By providing consumers with a tactile in-store experience, Prairie Records seeks to educate, enlighten and engage its shoppers in a unique way. “Given the restrictions cannabis companies have in regard to marketing within the newly legalized space, we’ve been tasked with getting creative to overcome those challenges by offering Canadians a retail experience which is different but approachable, relatable and inviting,” says Coates.
Keeping in line with regulations, all cannabis products will be stored behind lock and key, but the design of the store allows for an interactive experience from all angles. Whether it’s having access to tablets where shoppers can browse or taking part in a one-on-one consultation with store staff, consumers will have multiple touchpoints throughout the store. Once consumers have chosen their ‘record,’ they’ll bring it over to the checkout counter, where they will be given their product and an overview of its offering. “Education is paramount to us at Prairie Records.
We want to ensure every customer walking out of our store is feeling informed and comfortable with the product they have chosen to purchase,” says Coates. “Our staff will be taking part in a thorough training program so they are equipped with the tools to educate and trained to understand each customer’s needs,” says Coates. Prairie Records will have a robust offering of products, helping to satiate and fulfill its customers’ wide-ranging needs.
Prairie Records is set to open its first retail store in Calgary, Alberta, later this year in the iconic Palace Theatre on Stephen Avenue. Come 2019, the company has plans to roll out its retail footprint across Western Canada, with the second set to open in Warman, Saskatchewan. As each store opens, the company will be looking for ways to engage the local music and arts scene in the communities in which it operates.
As a vertically integrated cannabis company, Westleaf is currently building a world-class cultivation facility in Battleford, Saskatchewan, which will allow for it to develop and manufacture a diversified offering of cannabis products. The production site will be completed by the end of 2019. Westleaf will also have an extraction and research and development facility in Calgary, Alberta.
For more information, please visit the following:
Prairie Records Website: https://www.prairierecords.ca
Prairie Records Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prairierecords