Kenneth Churchill, CEO of West Coast Cannabis Club, is one of the desert’s many young, entrepreneurial transplants — but his recreational cannabis dispensaries pride themselves on keeping things truly local.
“Everybody we employ [has] lived here for years,” he says. “We’re entrenched in the community; we live here and spend all of our time here.” This hometown focus, Churchill says, represents a departure from that of the Canadian- and Angelino-owned companies taking advantage of the area’s rapidly growing cannabis industry.
Churchill has made it a mission to offer consumers the cleanest and highest-quality products since his first forays into the field of cannabis in San Diego. Three years ago, he brought that commitment to the Coachella Valley, where, he remarks, “the local city councils have made it reasonable for cannabis businesses to come in and be successful. There are local growers, local labs, and local manufacturers. It allows us to keep much of our product and business here.”
• READ NEXT: Read more about our Visionaries Class of 2019.
The industry innovator has big plans for West Coast Cannabis Club, including a house line of cannabis products and cannabis flower. Their brand will be available in their stores as well as dispensaries across California. All this will be based out of their new Melanie Place campus where they will be doing manufacturing and distribution, as well as opening their third retail location.
Churchill is contributing to the growth of the valley’s population, too. “Almost every friend I have has moved here at this point,” he quips.
VIDEO: Kenneth Churchill and his team at West Coast Cannabis talk about the tenets of the business.