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2 days ago
- Business
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Lexington's first medical marijuana dispensary may open at former Frisch's Big Boy location
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — A former Frisch's Big Boy in Lexington may soon transform into the city's first medical marijuana dispensary, nearly a year after Kentucky started its medical marijuana program. FOX 56 spoke with the management company behind the project, who said they hope to provide affordable access to cannabis products for patients in need. Lexington's first medical marijuana dispensary may open at former Frisch's Big Boy location Funeral arrangements released for former Kentucky Rep. Charles Miller Artificial intelligence is getting tougher to spot in Kentucky: Media studies expert helps tell the difference Arkansas entrepreneurs, Casey Flippo and Sean Clarkson, have launched and operated multiple cannabis companies over the past five years. The pair is now helping KYLX Acquisition Company- a Kentucky-based company- launch its own at the former home of the Frisch's Big Boy Burger on Alysheba Way. 'We want access,' said Flippo. 'We want affordability. And we want to ensure that the product selection being presented to a patient population, that needs it, is one that is going to provide solutions and not problems.' KYLX Acquisition Company acquired the dispensary license originally awarded to ZenLeaf, Inc. during a lottery drawing in December. Bill could make federal minimum wage $15: Kentucky among states paying less than that Kentucky sitting near bottom of rankings in environmental protection: Study Airbnb generates an estimated $590 million in Kentucky in 2024 Flippo said they plan to call the new store Speakeasy Dispensary and intend to carry any and all products they can. 'Because each individual application in each individual medium really speaks towards and helps different ailments and different situations that people may be experiencing,' Flippo said. Edibles, oils, vapes, and raw plant material are all approved products under Kentucky's program, but state law prohibits smoking raw plant material. Flippo said their vision is to create a dispensary that offers patients supportive care, equipped with dozens of employees who are knowledgeable and ready to answer questions. In addition, taking advantage of the leftovers from its former burger joint, a drive-thru option will also be available. Read more of the latest health and wellness news 'Patients that have trouble getting in and out of their vehicle, elderly patients, patients that may be are experiencing some form of ailment that would prevent them from being able to be on their feet for an extensive period of time, or, frankly, just for privacy purposes.' The building is currently under construction, Flippo noting they are working on getting city approval to finalize the project. City leaders said they have not received the required paperwork yet, but Flippo said they are hopeful to welcome customers in November. 'I truly believe that the sky is the limit for the Kentucky Medical Cannabis program because of the foundation that they laid.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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2 days ago
- Business
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A medical marijuana dispensary could soon be opening at this Lexington location
In our In the Spotlight stories, Herald-Leader journalists bring you continuing coverage of news and events important to our Central Kentucky community. Read more. Story idea? hlcityregion@ A former Frisch's Big Boy in Lexington's popular Hamburg shopping district could soon be the site of a medical marijuana dispensary complete with a drive-thru and knowledgeable budtenders ready to answer questions. That's according to Casey Flippo and Sean Clarkson, the two Arkansas entrepreneurs behind the project, who spoke to the Herald-Leader in a June 3 interview. In 2021, the two founded Dark Horse Cannabis, where Flippo is the CEO, and Clarkson, the chief financial officer. The establishment comes as the private sector mobilizes following Kentucky's launch of a medical marijuana program earlier this year. The state's Office of Medical Cannabis has awarded limited but transferable licenses for production and sales, and as of Jan. 1, qualifying Kentuckians can apply for a medical cannabis card. Recreational marijuana use remains illegal in Kentucky. Flippo said the process for demolishing the interior of the former restaurant, situated in a shopping center between Sir Barton Way and Man O' War Boulevard, has already begun. It's located at 1849 Alysheba Way. 'We have been seeking permitting approval with the city of Lexington,' Flippo told the Herald-Leader, adding the plan is to 'open the doors mid-November at that facility.' The 5,500-square-foot dispensary wants to offer 'compassionate care' discounts to qualifying patients, Flippo said. There's also potential to accept online orders for pick up via the drive-thru, so patients 'never have to get out of the car,' Clarkson added. 'It's a quick and easy process for our patients, especially those that are handicapped in some way, or elderly,' Clarkson said. Clarkson anticipates patients will likely want to meet with dispensary staff in-store at least initially after its opening for questions about products and their use. 'As they're getting familiar with the product availability, they're going to want to talk to budtenders,' Clarkson said. 'I believe that we will probably end up employing somewhere between 30 and 40 individuals,' at the site, Flippo added. The idea is for staff to be 'extremely knowledgeable about the medicinal applications and appropriate use of the cannabis that's being dispensed,' Flippo said. That said, there will likely be many obstacles to clear before the business can open its doors to the public. 'It's historically pretty challenging to prop up cannabis markets' quickly, Flippo said. Chief among the obstacles: finding a supplier who can stock the dispensary's shelves with products. Kentucky's medical cannabis program only allows for edibles, oils, tinctures, vapes and raw plant material. State law requires the plant material, which must be produced and tested in the commonwealth, to be vaped — not smoked. Raw plant material packaged in Kentucky must be labeled 'not intended for consumption by smoking.' State rules also require medical marijuana cultivators to stand up secure, indoor facilities for growing, cultivating and harvesting the plants. The state's first medical cannabis cultivator broke ground on a facility in Monticello this spring. In Winchester, Cresco Labs cut the ribbon in April on a cultivation facility that promises to be the one of the state's largest. Phase one construction on that facility, which includes a 5,000-foot plant canopy, is expected to be completed by the fall. 'We believe … that the market should be set to open sometime in late Q4 of this year,' Flippo said, adding his dispensary is targeting an opening during that window. KYLX Acquisition Company LLC now holds the state license for the dispensary planned at 1849 Alysheba Way in Lexington. KYLX recently acquired it from ZenLeaf LLC, which was the original licensee awarded via a state lottery held last year. Kentucky held series of state-run lotteries last fall to award medical cannabis business licenses. The lottery to award Fayette County's two dispensary licenses was held in December. In April, Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball announced a probe into the lottery process amid ongoing concerns out-of-state companies with deep pockets were able to flood it with applications, thus tilting it in their favor. Dark Horse was identified as one of those companies in a series by Louisville Public Media, which also found Clarkson had ties to 350 of the new businesses created in the month leading up to the application deadline. Asked for his response to concerns about too few Kentucky hemp farmers being awarded licenses, Flippo said he was 'very sympathetic' to those who did not win, especially given the application fees were thousands of dollars and were not refundable. Ultimately though, Flippo defended the process for awarding the business licenses. 'Our experience with the [Office of Medical Cannabis] and the governor's office was nothing short of spectacular. I think that they put a phenomenal program together,' Flippo said. In working with the Office of Medical Cannabis, Flippo said, 'I would argue that it's probably one of the most successful cannabis market launches in the U.S.' Herald-Leader reporter Janet Patton contributed to this story. Do you have a question about Lexington or Kentucky for our service journalism team? We'd like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@
