LONDONDERRY, Vt. – The slogan around Green Mountain Therapeutics cannabis dispensary is “We’ve got the gas,” and owner Kellie D’Elia-Laskin appreciates it when people pick up on the double entendre that calls back to a mid-2000s slang expression referring to a strong or “dank” strain of marijuana, with a nod to the previous tenant at the North Main Street location in Londonderry, Willy’s Mobilgas. A framed 1957 photo of the old gas station and garage stands on a counter.
Last July, the building construction was nearly complete and they were about to have the final electrical inspection, when Londonderry was battered by the storm that came through the state on July 9-10, flooding Main Street and all but destroying many of the businesses along Route 11.
Inside the dispensary last week, D’Elia-Laskin pointed to the watermark remaining on one unfinished section of wall – 4 feet up from the floor. The flood heavily damaged the walls, floor, shelving, and cabinets, which all had to be replaced.
Along with her partner Kevin Bopp, and with a lot of help from the Londonderry community, D’Elia-Laskin put her head down and just kept moving forward. She said the ladies from the Second Congregational Church across the street were “amazing,” bringing them water and meals during the first couple of weeks of recovery.
Neighborhood Connections were also incredibly supportive, Bopp said. “They fed us, found us volunteers. I can’t say enough good things about that organization.”
D’Elia-Laskin’s appreciation for natural health and wellness is why she ventured into the cannabis industry; she has been a yoga and Pilates instructor for over 30 years. Both she and Bopp want to remove the stigma surrounding cannabis, and the strong bond they now share with the community is a welcome silver lining to come from the flood.
One of D’Elia-Laskin’s reasons to open the dispensary is very personal.
After graduating from Green Mountain College, D’Elia-Laskin moved out west, where she met and married Bradley Laskin, and they had a son. Laskin worked in construction, and after being injured on a job site, Laskin underwent pancreas surgery. He passed away only ten days after the operation. In those ten days, D’Elia-Laskin witnessed her husband quickly become addicted to opioids, and feels strongly about offering people an alternative, safer, more natural pain relief, in the form of legal cannabis products.
The goal of Green Mountain Therapeutics is to provide customers with top quality, Vermont-curated cannabis flower, concentrates, and edibles, in a calming environment that lets people feel safe and comfortable. The shop finally had its soft opening just this spring, and they continue making progress.
Bopp enjoys talking with their customers and helping them figure out what might work best for them.
The couple grew up in Cheshire, Mass., but didn’t really run in the same circles. “I had a crush on him,” D’Elia-Laskin remarked. “It’s true!”
They kept in casual contact during D’Elia-Laskin’s time in Colorado and Lake Tahoe, and after she and her son moved to Stratton, Vt., in 2016, Bopp reached out and invited her to join him at the Wanderlust Yoga and Music Festival at Stratton Mountain.
Since then, they have merged their lives, managing to raise three teenage boys (Bopp has two) while getting Green Mountain Therapeutics up and running. Now, they work together, sharing ideas and making decisions about the space and products, pivoting when necessary.
Plans to expand into beekeeping and infused honey products, and an idea to help couples plan a “weed wedding” are two new concepts. The shop currently stocks an elegantly packaged box of “dog-walkers,” small joints meant to smoke in a short amount of time, which would make cute bridesmaid gifts for the right bridal party.
Ultimately, the renovations created some new opportunities, such as installing a concrete floor rather than another wooden one. The chance for a do-over also allowed them to make the dispensary handicapped accessible.
“We’ve been learning to make small adjustments,” relayed Bopp. “Just like in yoga and Pilates.” D’Elia-Laskin smiled.