PLYMOUTH, Vt. – New shop owner, and 14-year Plymouth resident, Al Baran’s New York accent surfaced on occasion as he ran through his story leading up to the decision to purchase the Salt Ash Inn, a 200-year-old inn in Plymouth, Vt., when he was 27 years old.
Like many homes in Vermont, the inn has a rich history. In the 1830s, the main building was a stagecoach stop, later a general store, and at one point a post office. Prior to 1797, the town of Plymouth was called Saltash, and the area of town where the Salt Ash Inn sits was known as Plymouth Union, an inspiration for the name of the dispensary, Green Union.
Baran, or “Al,” as he prefers to be called, recounted his early career working for a video game company, and said he was the kind of kid who enjoyed taking stuff apart and putting it back together. His favorite book was “The Way Things Work” by David Maccaulay and Neil Ardley; a collection of diagrams of everyday machines and the science behind their operation.
This knack for figuring things out was what kept him going after buying the Salt Ash Inn in 2009, just two years before Hurricane Irene caused serious damage to the property, and to much of the town of Plymouth. After some lucky encounters with friends, including a random run-in with an electrician that led to the quick installation of a new generator, Al was able to push forward toward reopening.
Now 41, Al admits he was younger than probably most people who take the leap into historic home ownership in rural Vermont. But, he said, “I was tired of the city. I wanted to live life, instead of working so much.” He claims he doesn’t mind tackling most of the maintenance projects on his own, including painting, repairs, and plumbing, and relies on his friends for help.
He looked back fondly on his early years in Vermont, saying he “spent as many days on the mountain as possible.” That was the reason he moved to the state, and at that time, he felt he was already “living the dream.”
Things changed again when in February 2020, Al contracted what wasn’t yet identified as Covid-19 but looking back he knows that’s what he had. “When I tell you it felt like I was run over by a truck… I couldn’t get out of bed for six days.”
On March 14, 2020, the Salt Ash Inn’s Facebook post read, “We will be closing after our current guests depart in the morning. All guests with upcoming reservations will be contacted. Stay safe.” Al closed-up shop in every way possible and waited out the pandemic, and it wasn’t until Dec. 2021 that he started renting the house again. This time leasing the whole space to large groups, rather than individual room rentals.
As Vermont headed toward the legalization of recreational marijuana sales, Al saw another opportunity. He was someone who had been growing and using marijuana legally under Vermont Bill H.511, and he researched every detail and regulation required to open a dispensary. He ultimately decided to renovate the inn’s old carriage house, a space adjacent to the Salt Ash which was being used as an apartment at the time.
Al has a lot of gratitude toward his adopted home state of Vermont, and the Town of Plymouth, and has been meticulous in following the state and local Cannabis Control Board stipulations. He is currently waiting on his manufacturing license, which will allow him to work with area farmers to create a line of THC infused products. “I was given an opportunity by the state, and I want to share that opportunity with others.”
Al grows much of the cannabis flower he sells, and, per state regulations, all product is locally sourced. Though he can’t officially use the term organic, there are no chemicals involved in the process. Al has a staff of loyal employees/friends who seem to do everything from running the cash register, to trimming marijuana plants, to painting walls.
He talked about the tax revenue for the state, and how for small towns like Plymouth, that could be a real benefit. As of November 2022, Vermont officials reported the state collected $329,231 in excise tax from cannabis, with retail sales beginning Oct. 1.
There are those who oppose the sale of recreational marijuana across Vermont, and Al said he’d anticipated more of his customers would be out-of-town visitors. He was pleasantly surprised to see locals come into the shop. “I feel like I’m bringing a service to the town, and that feels good.”