The High Class, the newest medical marijuana dispensary to operate in the neighborhood, opened its doors at 7601 Greenwood Ave. N., Suite 100, a month ago.
Owner Giovanni Velo formerly worked in security, often at medical marijuana dispensaries, so he’s been part of the industry for several years.
“I believe in the cause,” Velo said.
The High Class aims for transparency in its operations. Taking over the space formerly occupied by an architect’s firm, and by Pelayo Antiques for many years before that, the dispensary has a full wall of windows, letting in plenty of natural light, and allowing passersby to see in. Velo keeps the shades open and the lights on so people can easily see inside.
“We’re here, we want to be open about it,” Velo said. “We’re legal; we’re allowed to be here. Why would I hide myself?
Receptionist Angela Jongema and Owner Giovanni Velo at the front desk of The High Class.
Patients wishing to purchase medical marijuana must first obtain a doctor’s recommendation. Those recommendations are printed on paper with a special watermark that is only visible when copied, which invalidates it. The High Class requires the doctor’s original recommendation, then Velo’s fiancée, Angela Jongema, who is the clinic’s receptionist, also calls the doctor to double-check that the recommendation is valid.
“I’m really strict about it,” Velo said. “You couldn’t walk in to a Rite Aid and say, hey, I need 20 valium. This is not a street corner deal.”
Patients must also show a valid Washington state ID (not a passport). Then a patient is shown into the medicine room, with a counter of glass jars filled with various strains of medicine. An ATM sits in the corner of the medicine room. There is no smoking on the premises.
The medicine room at The High Class.
“People come in and get their medicine and go home,” Velo explained. “It’s like going to a pharmacy at Rite Aid. You stand there, they give you the stuff and you leave.”
Some patients grow their own marijuana, and have more than they need, so they can bring it into The High Class and be “reimbursed” for it.
“We reimburse them for their time and the cash they put into it,” Velo said, emphasizing that The High Class is not allowed to buy marijuana, it can only reimburse for time and materials.
The High Class has 24-hour video surveillance. A huge safe in the back holds all the medicine and paperwork at the end of the day, so there’s nothing for a thief to steal if they’re able to break in.
The High Class is open from 12-10 p.m. seven days a week; it was even open on Christmas and New Year’s Day.
“If they have a question or concern, come in and talk to me,” Velo said of neighborhood residents. “Outside if you don’t want to come in, or inside in the lobby. I understand the stigma the industry has, but it’s not 100 percent true.”
The High Class is Phinney-Greenwood’s fifth medical marijuana dispensary to open in the last year-and-a-half: Seattle Patient Resource Center (SPaRC), 7200 Greenwood Ave. N.; The Healing Center Organization (THCO), 511 N. 85th St.; Green Relief, 145 NW 85th St.; and 3rd; and Cosmic Dragon, 315-B NW 85th St.
14 responses so far ↓
1 dfh // Jan 16, 2012 at 9:39 am
That’s about the tackiest name someone could come up with for a medical marijuana dispensary.
Are they TRYING to cause a backlash? If I or my husband required medical marijuana, I’d be very upset at this name and what it implies.
2 JD // Jan 16, 2012 at 9:52 am
I hope it’s still there once we can buy marijuana without a prescription. The name is fine, the inside doesn’t look very welcoming though. Might want to get some decorations at the next art walk!
3 Sara J // Jan 16, 2012 at 10:20 am
The name reminds me of the Upper Crust bakery in Magnolia. It’s not “Seattle PC” but what’s the big deal?
4 dfh // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:03 am
It’s a cute and catchy name, however the connotation with the word “high” in relation to marijuana seems to undo what “medical” marijuana is supposed to be used for.
It makes it sound like the recreational drug it always was considered to be.
If they want us to focus on the “medical” aspect of marijuana they shouldn’t be shooting themselves in the foot with that name. I don’t dispute the medical benefits of marijuana at all and think (and voted) that it should be available to those who need it.
5 Grant // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:30 am
We get it, you like to get high. They’re like 17 year olds who get drunk in the woods: everyone knows it happens, but don’t ask society to legitimize you anti-social act. Can we at least remove the veneer of legitimacy of these dumps by removing the “medical” from their names? Maybe the next drug den – er, “dispensary” should be called People Treating Hurt And Needless Depression (PoTHeAD).
6 EB // Jan 16, 2012 at 1:03 pm
I think the name is catchy, and as a patient, I have no problem with describing my medicine-induced state as “high”. Ive been getting “high” for years. The fact that it is now a medicated “high”, doesnt change the context of the word. As for “high class”, the name implies superior quality, or quality-discriminatory stocking practices. To a potential customer, it sounds like the ‘Mercedes’ of dispensaries. To connoisseurs and people serious about their medicine, this is very appealing. Hopefully, they deliver on their implied message.
7 John // Jan 16, 2012 at 5:01 pm
The High Class is not supposed to be about being “high” it has to do with having medicine that is of high potency and greater quality of meds for patients.
8 Megan the Vegan // Jan 16, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Ah yes, but getting stoned helps cure my nervous condition.
9 My Medical Marijuana Card // Jan 16, 2012 at 9:23 pm
That’s a great looking location.
10 Zoolander // Jan 16, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Why not a passport for ID? That seems an odd detail.
11 Jillian Galloway // Jan 17, 2012 at 10:32 am
While legalizing marijuana for medical purposes is an important and valid reason, legalizing marijuana as a substitute for alcohol has the potential to prevent a lot of violence and premature death that alcohol causes.
More than 200 million people consume alcohol in the U.S. – resulting in 75,000 unnecessary deaths each year and multiple adverse health consequences, including liver cirrhosis, cancers, unintentional injuries, and violence. Much of this misery can be prevented by allowing alcohol users to substitute the FAR safer recreational drug, marijuana, for alcohol.
Marijuana has repeatedly been proven to NOT cause cancer, heart disease, brain damage, liver disease, emphysema, or any other significant health issue, and its addiction potential is about on par with coffee. Don’t vote for any politician not willing to legalize adult marijuana sales!
12 Grant // Jan 17, 2012 at 3:14 pm
Ever wonder why is it that one natural leaf (tobacco) is supposedly “more addictive than heroin”, causes every disease known to man, is so dangerous we need to ban it from the public arena – and yet another (pot) has no ill effects, cures virtually every known malady, and is as safe as purified drinking water?
As far as it having no dangers, how many people are killed by stoners driving, stoners causing accidents at work, and lethargic stoners not paying attention? Plenty. Not to mention that the chemicals in pot are extremely harmful to the lungs and cardiovascular system. THC causes psychosis, and even the Netherlands is cutting back on the drug’s availability.
So, no, we don’t need to ‘legalize’ or state-sanction this junk. But we should decriminalize it and let potheads do what they want to do. That way everyone stays happy.
13 MMJClassifieds // Jan 20, 2012 at 8:50 pm
I think its a classy looking place.
Better than some of the places here in Denver…
14 MMJClassifieds // Jan 21, 2012 at 4:34 am
@ Grant – Keep rehashing old thinking. Don’t believe those pesky doctors that just published a new JAMA study:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/307/2/173.short
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