Cannabis dispensaries in Niles can open earlier and close later following a city ordinance approved last month.
Residents of Niles Charter Township voted last year to allow the opening of marijuana establishments for the first time. In May, the township board approved 21, forming what locals call the “Green Mile.”
Nick Young teaches a course on cannabis marketing at Western Michigan University. He says Niles Township stands to profit by taxing its blossoming cannabis industry.
"When you look at that, that’s a lot of jobs, that’s a lot of funding, that’s a lot of money for them to go and spend, so they’re incentivized to keep as many stores open as late as possible," said Young.
Now, dispensaries in the neighboring City of Niles can open as early as 5 a.m. and close as late as midnight. Young said the extended hours will help dispensaries in Niles compete with those in Niles Township, which can only be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Longer hours, he said, will help the city of Niles attract customers travelling from Indiana and Illinois.