Store Highlight: Má Cannabis

The blend of old and new is exactly what owner Dave Lai was aiming for. The downtown Má store is a minimalist balance of white, a soothing forest green and light pine — a tribute to northwestern Ontario, where Lai grew up, with added Chinese flair to honour his Cantonese heritage.

“Chinese culture is very diverse, with many unique characteristics which we carefully and playfully add into our branding,” he says.

“We wanted the space to feel both welcoming and modern at the same time, [with] offsetting colour tones and materials to purposefully flow customers within the store,” he continues.

Má opened its downtown Toronto location two years ago. In that time, thousands of people who live and work in the area, as well as tourists visiting the city have stopped in to pick up the newest legal cannabis products on the Ontario market. Lai says customers love Má’s selection of organic and craft cannabis and its product diversity.

Regularly stocked brands include Carmel, Rubicon Organics, Purple Hills, Glenn’s, Woody Nelson, Kronic Relief, Rosin Heads, Volo and HighXotic, giving Má’s customers a wide range of options for smokables and edibles.

Because of Má’s location in Toronto’s entertainment district, many non-Canadian visitors stop in to get a peek at what legal cannabis looks like. Lai says this is one of the reasons for having such a wide range of products — and for having staff that are highly educated on both those products and Canada’s legal cannabis framework. “[It’s] an opportunity to educate tourists on our regulations and showcase Canada’s best cannabis producers,” says Lai.

Dave Lai

Owner, Má Cannabis, Toronto

“We find diamonds in the rough — products that not all retailers would carry.” 

Má’s employees really shine when it comes to listening to and interpreting customers’ goals and preferences, and making thoughtful product recommendations. Lai says each customer is met with a highly personalized in-store experience. “If we don’t have a specific product, our knowledgeable staff can find an alternative that perhaps the customer has not considered,” he says.

Tourists aren’t the only visitors to Má’s downtown storefront. The brand has cultivated a steadfast customer base, which it supports with a customer loyalty program cleverly called Má Dynasty — another nod to the store’s Chinese influence. Customers of Má’s second location in Etobicoke also benefit from the program.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, Má treats its customers to special themed merch every year. “We also do customer giveaways, which [have] included a Má Chinese-themed sticker along with a traditional candy or fortune cookie — non-infused, of course! We place them in a traditional lucky money envelope,” he says.

The blend of Canadian and Chinese cultures is what makes Má stand out and gets customers in the store — its excellent customer service, peaceful atmosphere and wide product selection ensure that they visit again (and again).

Don’t live near a Má Cannabis location? Use the OCS Store Locator to find an Authorized Cannabis Store near you.
 

Store Highlight features Authorized Cannabis Stores that apply to participate as part of the quarterly OCS Content Call process. If you are interested in having your store featured, find out how on OCS Wholesale Learn.