The grand opening of Your CBD Store in Chardon had streams of customers coming through the door to buy or learn, said franchise owner Lauren Luoma.
The grand opening of Your CBD Store in Chardon had streams of customers coming through the door to buy or learn, said franchise owner Lauren Luoma.
“Today, I was very surprised at how busy we were,” she said April 23.
She and her partner, Char Kuchta, of Burton, had planned to close the doors at 4 p.m., but when people kept coming in, they didn’t close until 8 p.m., Luoma said.
“When the last customer of the day came in, she was nervous,” she said, adding the woman had seen the ad for the opening in a Middlefield publication.
“She came in to be educated,” she said. “She bought products and was very excited to try them.”
Luoma said she tells customers about the high quality of the store’s products, that they are tested by a third party and have great anti-inflammatory qualities.
“It’s all about educating people,” she said.
Her own experience led her to pursue the franchise, then rent a space in the small plaza at 102 Cherry Street.
As a licensed practical nurse in the area for many years, Luoma, who lives in Burton, is now with the Ohio Department of Disabilities, she said.
When she contracted COVID-19 in November, she sampled some CBD and felt “immense relief” from the symptoms, Luoma said.
“Once I got better, I wanted to share it with everybody,” she said.
In December, she visited Your CBD Store in Mentor and learned how to acquire a franchise.
By January, Luoma was looking for a site near her home in Newbury Township and saw an ad by Siracki Realty for the spacious unit in Chardon.
“It seemed too good to be true,” she said, but her desire to help people with similar symptoms led her to follow up. “This kinda made sense to me.”
Cannabidoil and related products are legal in Ohio and many other states. Luoma said it is a natural alternative to prescription medications and she believes CBD has no side effects.
“It’s becoming a trend. People having problems after COVID are looking for more natural help,” she said. “CBD is a real gamechanger.”
CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis products. They are in both marijuana and hemp, according to an article on WebMD.com by Mary Jo DiLonardo and medically reviewed by Dr. Jennifer Casarella, M.D.
Marijuana contains much more THC than hemp, while hemp has a lot of CBD. Both CBD and THC work with receptors that release neurotransmitters that can affect pain, mood, sleep and memory, according to WebMD.
Luoma said 25 milligrams of the broad-spectrum hemp extract works well for her.
“It slows things down a little and I sleep better,” she said.
The bright, spacious store displays a variety of Sunmed tinctures, supplements, creams and edibles along the walls and Luoma said she has a full inventory in the back.
The facility will be managed by her son, Aidan Sayer. The pair traveled to Your CBD Store corporate headquarters in Florida for training as franchisees, she said.
The crowds attending the Geauga County Maple Festival last Saturday probably helped her sales, which bloomed when some friends took bags of free samples to Chardon Square. Festival-goers swarmed the volunteers, she said.
Luoma said she tells people not to order CBD products online or purchase them without checking to make sure they are third-party tested.
Your CBD Store in Chardon is the 589th in the franchise and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
