Shopping For Legal Cannabis
Store Highlight: Uptown Herb
Specializing in an array of hash products, this sleek cannabis store in uptown Waterloo, Ont. offers a welcoming environment for both connoisseurs and beginners.
Published on October 16, 2024 | Last updated October 16, 2024
Ash-coloured floating shelves, gleaming white countertops and a glass display case line the perimeter of the shop, creating an uncluttered and well-lit shopping experience. In the middle of the store is a long island boasting a couple dozen buds, each encased in its own display box, accompanied by a card detailing the features of the strain. Plants scattered throughout the space bring in a soothing hint of colour.
UPTOWN HERB
Location: 56 King St. N. Unit 3, Waterloo, Ont.
Established: 2021
Delivery: No, in-store shopping and pickup only
Specialty: High-quality flower and extracts, plus a variety of hash products
Local Hangs: Grab dinner or takeout from Bhima’s Warung, Solé Uptown or The Bauer Kitchen, then head to indie movie theatre Princess Cinemas
Located in the heart of downtown Waterloo, Uptown Herb is a bright and welcoming spot for cannabis connoisseurs and beginners alike.
“It’s very modern, almost like an Apple Store,” says owner Tom Uszynski.
It’s clear Uszynski has a meticulous eye for detail.
“I’m very passionate about cannabis, and owning a retail store brings me the joy of being around like-minded individuals who enjoy the plant as I do,” says Uszynski.
When he opened Uptown Herb three years ago, he knew he wanted to build a community-minded hub where residents could stop in and say hello whenever they were in the neighbourhood. With the help of his wife of 18 years, Bre Schnarr, he’s been able to build exactly that.
Thirty-six-year-old Uszynski credits Schnarr for her indispensable work in ensuring Uptown Herb runs smoothly. “She helps me manage the stores — anything from cleaning to putting things away to dealing with customers,” says Uszynski. It’s also thanks in large part to her support that Uptown Herb opened a second location in Grand Bend this past spring and is seriously considering launching several more in the region in the years to come. “Although Grand Bend is more of a seasonal town, we will be open year-round, as the locals here deserve to have a small family-run cannabis store that understands the needs and wants of the local community,” he says.
The community element is important to Uszynski. A Waterloo native, he’s been able to connect with people from ages 19 to 90 thanks to cannabis legalization. He and his staff readily accept product suggestions and take customer feedback to heart, and eagerly provide personalized advice to customers depending on their experience levels and intended effects. “Many customers have turned [into] friends,” he says. "I believe cannabis is very unique in the way that age does not matter.”
Tom Uszynski
Owner, Uptown Herb
“In the last few years, studies have proven THC is not the be all, end all.”
He says he loves to meet new cannabis consumers interested in trying out different products, whether they’re looking to address a health concern or simply relax. “I always recommend that new cannabis users start slow. The last thing people want is a bad experience,” he says.
He usually cautions novices to start at lower doses, and to stay away from concentrates until they gain more confidence. For more experienced customers, he tailors his advice around their preferred strains, terpenes and methods of consumption.
Uszynski also likes to keep his finger on the pulse of the latest products coming onto the market, as well as advancements being made in the global study of cannabis. It thrills him when the larger scientific community makes new discoveries about cannabis and its effects. “In the last few years, studies have proven THC is not the be all, end all, and there are many aspects to cannabis we have yet to learn,” he says.
Uptown Herb sets itself apart from other Authorized Cannabis Stores with its wide assortment of hash products, including resin vapes, infused pre-rolls, hash edibles and live rosin. The choice to stock such a variety of hash products is very intentional.
“I believe hash is the best form of extract. It’s the most true to strain and the best representation of cannabis in general,” he explains. A well-made solventless hash product typically contains higher concentrations of terpenes and cannabinoids than conventional extracts, Uszynski says.
“It’s a craft,” he says of hash making. “At the end of the day, it takes an artisan to make it.”
To that end, next summer Uszynski plans to collaborate on making solventless hash with Coulson Cannabis, an Ontario-based, family-owned Licensed Producer focused on extracts. Already an experienced home grower, he sees the hash project as part of his larger career trajectory.
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