By Brant Hartsell | Photo by Danielle Nutt
The carved, wooden logo, and redwood imagery that line the windows of Satori Wellness, located on Nursery Way in McKinleyville, California are a welcome — and intriguing — addition to the town that’s surrounded by the natural beauty of the coastal redwood forest.
The business mirrors its residents’ passion — not only for the cannabis industry itself — but for the local community.
Satori Wellness is Mckinleyville’s first and only cannabis dispensary. With this success, comes responsibility.
Kate Haenni, executive director of Satori Wellness, explained that “our demographic covers everyone within the local community: elders, students, mothers seeking alternative medicines. We try to provide an environment that helps erase some of the existing stigmas around cannabis in an educational manner.”
Visitors are met with warm, smiling faces and friendly staff who give immediate attention to customers when they walk in. Haenni illustrated the company emphasis on customer service, which she believes makes Satori Wellness stand out from other dispensaries. This was especially true with my experience there. I came out of the facility feeling like I learned about local products, and the connection the company has established with its growers.
Haenni said that Satori features mingling events so its team can build a more cohesive community by lessening alienation within the industry. “It is all a team: employees, growers, consumers and farmers,” she explained.
Ultimately, Satori Wellness exhibits the very adaptive framework Haenni illustrates. Satori Movement began in 1988 as a lifestyle brand. The company understood the interconnectedness of the skateboarding community, reggae scene, and environmental sustainability. Cannabis is the glue that brings, and holds, these cultures together in one, complete vision.
Satori is now an internationally recognized brand that not only promotes education on cannabis but also helps create skateboarding clubs in countries like Jamaica. Haenni noted that the company also has plans to help build a skatepark in Mckinleyville.
She also explained that the dispensary is working to start a recycling program for all the unnecessary, excess packaging now necessary due to legalization.
Satori’s waiting room doubles as a retail storefront for their brand. The company’s clothing line helps bring more people in, and allows patrons to browse while they wait.
The dispensary features over 500 cannabis products and are growing their offerings every day. Exclusive items that are specific to their facility include Prana line products, one of the first cannabis products with 100 percent bioavailability.
Satori also offers boutique cannabis, grown in small batches by Talking Trees Farms. Haenni’s personal favorite, she confirmed, is their indoor pre-rolled Gorilla Glue joint.
Satori Wellness understands the importance of keeping members of the cannabis community in solidarity with each other, in order to combat the corporatization many fear will put them out of business.
“The cannabis industry has a lot of opportunity. Lets share, be adaptive, and stay consistent,” Haenni said.
For more information, visit SatoriWellness.org
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