Retail Marijuana Has Arrived in Snowmass Village

For 43 years now, Steven Wickes and Barbara Bakios-Wickes have made a name for themselves in Snowmass Village with their store, Sundance Liquor & Gifts. Now their son, Andrew, is continuing that local enterprising legacy from a new angle.

Andrew's business, the Snowmass Dispensary, opened in the Snowmass Center, the same shopping center where his parents work, at the end of 2021. According to the new business owner, he identified the ski town's need for retail cannabis firsthand while working at the family store.

“I obviously saw the business need. People were asking us every day where the dispensary was, so the idea really came from seeing the need and the demand from locals and visitors," Andrew recalls.

Snowmass Village issued a moratorium on commercial marijuana in 2013, the year before recreational pot sales began in Colorado. The town council let that moratorium expire in 2019, however, and the first Snowmass Village dispensary, a branch of the High Q dispensary chain, opened in 2021. Andrew opened the Snowmass Dispensary shortly after.

Local rules stipulate that dispensaries must operate on the second level of commercial buildings, which ultimately worked out in the Snowmass Dispensary's favor, according to Andrew, whose pot shop is located right above his parents' store.

“We want the locals to feel like it’s their shop, and we’ve noticed that everyone’s coming back and are really excited with our concept,” he says.

The three-month renovation project added large windows to provide natural light and a view of Snowmass Mountain’s many slopes. “We probably have what I’d anticipate is the best view of any dispensary in Colorado,” Andrew proclaims.

Being in the shopping center is advantageous in itself, he says. With most of the town sitting on an incline, parking and running errands can be an inconvenience, especially during busy ski weekends. From Andrew’s perspective, having accessibility to restaurants, groceries, liquor and cannabis all in one spot is a big benefit for customers.

The Snowmass Dispensary is currently sourcing flower from growers across the state, including brands such as Boulder Built and Bloom County. Andrew says going with a choice amount per week and from different cultivations is key to keeping the inventory interesting and up-to-par.

“We always want to be farmers-market-fresh and a ‘What’s new?’ type-of-place,” he concludes.