Inner Spirit Holdings Celebrates Opening 100th Spiritleaf Cannabis Store
Country's largest single-brand network of retail cannabis stores marked event in Nation's Capital
where Canadian government legalized recreational cannabis just 33 months ago
CALGARY, AB, July 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Inner Spirit Holdings Ltd. ("Inner Spirit" or the "Company") (CSE: ISH) (OTCQB: INSHF), a Canadian company that has established a national network of Spiritleaf retail cannabis stores, today announced the celebration for the opening of its 100th Spiritleaf store. With its first location opened in October 2018 after recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada, Spiritleaf has developed into a retail powerhouse with more cannabis retail outlets opened than any other company in the country.
100th Store Opening
The Company celebrated the 100th store opening milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Spiritleaf South Keys store located in the south end of Ottawa, Ontario. Company President and CEO Darren Bondar, Spiritleaf Vice President Cecil Horwitz and Spiritleaf South Keys Owner Richard Dufour were in attendance, along with Spiritleaf employees and representatives from the local community. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was scaled to respect all local gathering restrictions.
"We celebrated the 100th Spiritleaf store with everyone who helped us get there. It's an amazing achievement for our trailblazing community. In just 33 months since legalization, we've opened more than 100 corporate and franchise stores from coast to coast across the country, which is one new store about every 10 days. That growth trajectory has been tremendous, and we have such respect and gratitude for our franchise partners and all the Spritleaf staff for making this happen. It's a testament to our collective passion, dedication and energy that we have reached this milestone," said Bondar.
As part of the national celebration, Spiritleaf is thanking its guests this weekend at each store by providing commemorative #100 pins to the first 100 guests.
"When Spiritleaf opens a store, it creates new jobs and business prospects in the local community. The benefits range from store management and staff positions to more work for suppliers, contractors and construction crews. While we're pleased our stores bring such local business benefits, we're just as focused on being a good corporate citizen and supporting important causes. One of the actions I'm most proud of has been our partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund to seek out possible paths to reconciliation for the country. Our recent support for the 215 Pledge is an example of our ongoing commitment to these vital communities and to the Downie-Wenjack Fund. Our brand has been built around being as authentic to the cannabis plant as we can be and to inspire peace, love and harmony in all our communities," noted Bondar.
National Expansion
The Company continued to expand its network with the opening of nine additional Spiritleaf stores across three provinces in June and early July. This has included the Company's first stores in Manitoba. Please visit www.spiritleaf.ca for information on store locations and their operating hours. The new stores include the following:
- Spiritleaf Beaches, Toronto, Ontario
- Spiritleaf Bonnyville, Bonnyville, Alberta
- Spiritleaf Eastwinds, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Spiritleaf Imperial Centre, Brampton, Ontario
- Spiritleaf Orleans, Ottawa
- Spiritleaf South Keys, Ottawa
- Spiritleaf St. Vital, Winnipeg
- Spiritleaf Unicity, Winnipeg
- Spiritleaf Varsity, Calgary
Company Updates
The Company announced that Spiritleaf along with its founder Darren Bondar has been selected as one of the finalists for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year® 2021 Prairies award. The EY program celebrates entrepreneurs whose ambitions deliver innovation, growth and prosperity that transform our world. Regional winners will be announced later this month and will go on to compete in a Canada-wide competition that concludes in November.
Additionally, Spiritleaf has been recognized as a finalist in two categories by the Retail Council of Canada's 2021 Excellence in Retailing Awards competition. The awards celebrate the best retail innovations found across the country with winners announced in September. Spiritleaf has been recognized for its in-store experience and design and for its retail marketing prowess.
Spiritleaf stores have been operating with enhanced customer service processes to ensure the safety of employees and customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spiritleaf's Select & Collect service enables customers to pre-shop and order online prior to pick-up in store or curbside or via delivery where permitted. The fast-growing and popular Spiritleaf Collective customer benefits program, which recently surpassed 310,000 members, streamlines and individualizes the shopping experience for guests.
To acknowledge the support from these members, the Company is currently running its virtual Spirit Bus Tour across the country for a second consecutive summer. The tour has been making "stops" at Spiritleaf stores where Spiritleaf Collective members can access exclusive promotions and special edition festival swag. Bus postcards containing the access code to the tour are available in-store or by email or text for Spiritleaf Collective members and no purchase is required. Please visit www.spiritbustour.ca for tour dates and details.
About Inner Spirit
Inner Spirit Holdings Ltd. (CSE:ISH) (OTCQB:INSHF) is a retailer and franchisor of Spiritleaf recreational cannabis stores across Canada. The Spiritleaf network includes 101 franchised and corporate-owned locations, all operated with an entrepreneurial spirit and with the goal of creating deep and lasting ties within local communities. Spiritleaf aims to be the most knowledgeable and trusted source of recreational cannabis by offering a premium consumer experience and quality curated cannabis products. The Company is led by passionate advocates for cannabis who have years of retail, franchise and consumer marketing experience. Spiritleaf has been recognized with a Franchisees' Choice Designation from the Canadian Franchise Association for its award-winning support centre for two consecutive years, a MarCom Platinum Award for marketing excellence, and a Hermes Gold Award for its creative customer benefits program. Learn more at www.innerspiritholdings.com and www.spiritleaf.ca.
SOURCE Inner Spirit Holdings Ltd.
Darren Bondar, President and CEO, Email: [email protected], Phone: 1 (403) 930-9300, www.innerspiritholdings.com
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