By Brad Devereaux | bdeverea@mlive.com BDevereaux@mlive.com

Compassionate Care By Design opened at 401 N. Sage Street in Kalamazoo in the last week in November, with a grand opening on the weekend of Dec. 1.

Jason Mischen, 32, is the general manager of the business and Kristen Bearup is the owner. Bearup is also the co-owner of Kalamazoo Vapor Shop LLC, Mischen said.

Mischen said the business wants to help “kick the stigma” that is sometimes associated with marijuana.

“To let people know, hey this isn’t just a drug you’ll find on the streets, this actually is a very helpful medication,” he said. “A lot of people benefit from it. A lot of people don’t know they can benefit from it.”

Compassionate Care By Design is located off of a busy section of West Main Street and offers marijuana and marijuana-infused products to medical marijuana cardholders.

The company has consultation rooms where employees talk to customers about the choices available, and talk about reviews of the different products. The business has a nondescript waiting room, where an employee sits behind a desk checking in patients as they arrive. After waiting for their turn, customers are taken back into one of the rooms for a consultation and to buy products.

A row of glass jars displayed the marijuana “flower” for sale, while extracts and other products are kept under a glass counter or in a display refrigerator.

Grape Cola has been a popular strain choice for customers, employee Christy Chambers said. The business has heard good reviews of its smell and taste, she said, and it can help with pain and muscle spasms.

The only grow operation licensed by the state is located across the state in Chesaning, Mischen said, and has been the only option for a licensed shop like Compassionate Care By Design to get product.

However, Mischen said, state action taken on Friday, Dec. 7, means shops can obtain product from registered medical marijuana caregivers until the end of 2018.

With the change, Mischen said he is working to get more products for a better variety of offerings at the store.

“We are making it a point to get new products and a variety of products on our shelves ASAP,” he said.

Continue Reading at MLive

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