St. Charles’ second recreational marijuana facility set to open Tuesday

ST. CHARLES – St. Charles’ second recreational marijuana dispensary is set to open its doors Tuesday.

At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the St. Charles Area Chamber of Commerce will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony as part of a soft opening for Consume Cannabis’ new location at 584 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. As part of the city’s rules, two recreational marijuana dispensaries can locate in the city – one on the east side and one on the west side of the Fox River.

The city’s first recreational marijuana dispensary, Zen Leaf, opened in 2021 in the former Jared Jewelry store in the Main Street Commons shopping center in St. Charles. In 2020, Zen Leaf began selling recreational marijuana at its dispensary at 3714 Illinois Ave. after the St. Charles City Council gave it the green light. To accommodate Zen Leaf’s growth, the dispensary moved into the former Jared Jewelry store. Zen Leaf opened in St. Charles in 2015 as a medical marijuana dispensary.

At a St. Charles City Council meeting last November, the majority of alderpersons recommended approval of a special use application for Consume Cannabis of St. Charles to open at 4,146-square-foot space at 584 S. Randall Road which formerly housed a sports bar.

Those opposed to Consume Cannabis’ permit included 1st Ward Alderperson Ron Silkaitis and 2nd Ward Alderperson Rita Payleitner. In 2019, they also voted against allowing recreational marijuana dispensaries.

“I still don’t believe we need this in St. Charles,” Silkaitis has previously said. “It is not what our image is about, in my opinion.”

The dispensary is opening in the Randall Plaza shopping center on the city’s west side. In October, the majority of plan commissioners recommended approval of the special use application with the condition that crosswalks, stop signs or speed bumps be installed to help control traffic flow and to increase safety for pedestrians walking back and forth to their vehicles.

This is Consume Cannabis’ fifth marijuana dispensary in Illinois. Consume Cannabis also has marijuana dispensaries in Oakbrook Terrace, Marion, Chicago and Carbondale, along with dispensaries in Michigan and Arizona.

Consumption of the products in the space is not allowed, Jake Coward, speaking on behalf of Consume Cannabis, previously told plan commissioners. Plans call for a minimum of one licensed armed security guard in the building at all times staff is present, whether during public hours or not. The facility also will have a state-of-the-art security system, including camera surveillance of the entire facility.

“We constantly monitor it on a 24-hour basis by a remote alarm company,” Coward said. “On top of that, we work with a third party armed security provider, Silver Star. They secure all of our facilities.”

Coward said security cameras would be able to see if someone is trying to consume a product in the adjacent parking lot. He said signs could be posted reminding customers that consumption in the parking lot is not allowed.

Customers are required to show proper identification to enter the dispensary, according to the application.

Consume Cannabis of St. Charles would be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.