MANCHESTER, Vt. – Green Mountain Cannabis Works, a business that opened in Manchester, Vt., in the fall of 2023, is quietly becoming a force in the Manchester retail scene. This is not by accident – spearheaded by a founder with over 30 years in Manchester, Cannabis Works is a culmination of entrepreneurial woman-owned ingenuity with a new flair in the cannabis culture in Vermont.
Upon entering you are greeted by a friendly, unassuming greeter, and then you will pass educational back stories on the wall about the entire cannabis experience, a cozy living room scene, and finally meet master budtender Tanner Conley of Shaftsbury, Vt. Tanner is the type of person that is eager, unapologetically prepared for any questions, and most importantly ready to educate on all the wellness aspects that cannabis may offer the consumer. Conley professed that this is his “dream job,” and that he spends hours at home researching and understanding his craft, in hopes that he will make the customer more at ease, and give them an environment to ask questions and spark a dialogue.
Admittedly, this author has never tried cannabis, however, Tanner does make a good case for some of the wellness attributes that cannabis may offer. Keeping the doors open in a retail environment is no small feat, however the vibe in this business is buzzing with optimistic momentum, a hunger for the cannabis cause, and a group of willing teachers just waiting, especially Conley, owner Lisa Mattison, general manager Eva Reed, and assistant manager Jada Maul, to help the person that may be trying cannabis for the first time find the type of cannabis product that will best fit their needs.