Lush Cannabis Co. enters competitive Peterborough market with new George Street store

Peterborough artist Brogan O’Rourke’s in-store mural at the new Lush Cannabis shop in Peterborough, Ont. features a host of hand-painted city landmarks, including the George Street clock tower and the iconic Peterborough Lift Lock.

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After successfully launching Cavan Monaghan Township’s first cannabis store last February, Lush Cannabis Co. has opened a second location in downtown Peterborough — providing customers with an array of dried cannabis, accessories. branded clothing and more

The Peterborough store, at 139 George St. N., officially opened its doors on Feb. 24 after months of preparations and renovations.

Lush Cannabis owner Brent Morrison, who made his entry into the cannabis industry in 2017 after being recruited by his friend to work at the Medicine Wheel — Alderville First Nation’s first cannabis dispensary — saw untapped potential in Cavan Monaghan Township, where he took his dream of opening up his own shop.

Post-legalization, at a time when cannabis stores were popping up everywhere, Morrison and his new business didn’t face any competition, making the township a prime location for the newcomer’s humble beginning in the business.

Morrison started with just two other employees — his business partner and their wife. He set out to capitalize on an underserved township, setting up a storefront that mirrored the culture of the community.

Catering to residents and tourists alike, Morrison and his team set up a rustic, cottage country-style shop, selling cannabis, edibles, topicals, concentrates, bongs, pipes, growing supplies and much more.

“We were well received in the community. A lot of people were happy they didn’t have to drive all the way into Peterborough, so we have a good base of customers from Millbrook, Bethany and the Omemee area, and in the summer, we get a lot of cottage traffic,” Morrison said.

Initially, Morrison avoided setting up shop in Peterborough, where there were already several cannabis stores, instead opting for a less expensive storefront in a less saturated market.

Fuelled by the success of the Cavan Monaghan operation, however, Morrison was ultimately drawn to Peterborough after the George Street plaza location became available.

“With all the live music at Del Crary Park in the summer, with the marina, we thought it would be a pretty good spot, so it was hard to pass it up,” he said.

With a new storefront in a much more competitive market, Morrison is focusing on catering to the preferences of Peterborough residents to make sure his latest venture succeeds.

“It will take a bit of time and it is a saturated market here so people will have to come in and check out the store, meet the staff and decide if it’s something they like. We listen to the customers; if there’s a particular product they like we’ll get it in for them,” Morrison said.

The look and feel of the new shop is also a nod to Lush Cannabis’s new home. While the business has retained its rustic charm, it’s added an urban flare — along with artwork that reflects Peterborough’s history and landmarks.

The George Street location includes a mural painted by local artist Brogan O’Rourke, who began painting the eye-catching feature in January while the store was under renovation.

“The mural incorporates three main focal points: the downtown clock tower, the Liftlock and the Lush Cannabis Co. logo. They’re worked into a sort of surreal, mountainous forest that has been ‘ripped out of the ground,” O’Rourke told The Examiner.

Employing his unique nature-focused style, O’Rourke also created a series of stickers based on aspects of the mural. Morrison said the collaboration is s “perfect fit,” as the business has long featured motifs that include trees and other nature-focused designs.

He said the pair are working together to “take some of those designs and make shirts.”

“They’ll have Lush branding but they’ll also highlight some of the other things in the store,” Morrison said.

If the Peterborough shop proves to be successful, Morrison plans to potentially open up additional shops, focusing on areas such as Cavan Monaghan Township, where there’s little competition and next to no stores.

With the addition of Lush Cannabis to the market, Peterborough city now has 17 licensed cannabis stores, along with six in the county.

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