Unity Rd. Opens First Medical Cannabis Establishment in South Dakota

-          Local Go-To Cannabis Shop Serving Patient Card Holders of Hartford and Beyond
-          Local Owners, B.J. Olson and Adam Jorgensen Focused on Educating Community About Cannabis

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., July 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Unity Rd., the national cannabis dispensary franchise from Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTCQX: INLB), is opening South Dakota's first medical cannabis establishment on Wednesday, July 27 with local entrepreneurs, B.J. Olson and Adam Jorgensen. The new shop is located in the Sioux Falls suburb of Hartford at 404 West Opal Lane.

South Dakota natives and best buds, Jorgensen and Olson bring a combined 40-plus years of experience in wireless technology, retail and business entrepreneurship. After witnessing the power of medical cannabis, the duo wanted to share this with those in need in the local community by opening their own medical cannabis establishment with Unity Rd.

"Adam and I have dreamed of having our own business together for a very long time. We are true believers in the benefits of cannabis and knew this was always the path for us," said Olson. "We were very intentional in seeking out our partnership with Unity Rd. Even with our combined retail backgrounds, we knew we would need additional support and resources to navigate the complexities of the industry. Unity Rd. has been instrumental to our success in opening a medical cannabis establishment in South Dakota and we know they have our best interest at heart."

Unity Rd. is a collective of locally owned and operated cannabis shops with the mission to inspire confidence in the benefits of cannabis for all, while keeping the door to dispensary ownership open to everyday entrepreneurs.

From offering a curated cannabis experience that is focused on local patients to hiring local talent, the Hartford shop is engrained in its community and allows for a culture unique to the neighborhood to shine through. Patients can expect the highest quality medical cannabis products available, continuously evolving as the emerging market grows. The shop's approachable and welcoming team members have gone through a robust training program and will be consistently staying up to date on the latest industry trends and product knowledge. Focused on serving a consistent experience with an enlightening, education-first approach, the Hartford shop supports all patients who walk through their doors.

"Being born and raised here, we see ourselves as a true community partner," said Jorgensen. "We are proud that the process of building our establishment from the ground up was through local Sioux Falls or South Dakota businesses, and nearly half of our team are Hartford residents themselves. B.J. and I are dedicated to educating patient card holders on our medical cannabis products as well as becoming even more involved in our community."

South Dakota legalized medical cannabis in July 2021 by a ballot initiative in November 2020. Since the local reform, the state has seen positive activity related to cannabis. State residents began applying for medical cannabis patient cards on January 1, 2022, and currently have more than 1,700 approved applications in the South Dakota Medical Cannabis Program. As of July 25, 2022, The Department of Health (DOH) reports that more than 130 South Dakota physicians have been approved to recommend medical cannabis to their patients.

"Opening the first dispensary in my home state is an impressive feat that I'm proud our team and local entrepreneurs have been able to achieve," added Andrew Bowden, CEO of Item 9 Labs Corp. and former Sioux Falls resident.

"We strive to expand our national community of Unity Rd. shops with owners who are engrained in their communities, and are honored to partner with exceptional entrepreneurs like B.J. and Adam on this milestone opening of the first medical cannabis establishment in South Dakota as well as the first Unity Rd. shop in the state," shared Mike Weinberger, chief franchise officer of Unity Rd.

Unity Rd. Hartford will be open special hours the first few weeks: Wednesday-Saturday from noon to 8 p.m., Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. and closed on Monday and Tuesday. To learn more about the local go-to cannabis shop, call 605-88-UNITY or visit https://www.unityrd.com/locations/sd/hartford/1404wopallane.

Unity Rd. is bridging the two previously disconnected worlds of cannabis and franchising. The industry trailblazer is the first to bring the cannabis dispensary franchise model to the United States—with duality of prowess in both industries to back it up. Built up from a collective 200 years in the legal cannabis industry and franchising, the company helps eager operators enter the complex industry with ease. The marijuana franchise pioneer offers its partners the knowledge, resources and ongoing support needed to compliantly and successfully operate a dispensary. Launched in 2018, Unity Rd. has three shops open across the U.S. along with multiple agreements signed with 20 entrepreneurial groups across the country who are developing the brand across 10-plus states. In 2021, Unity Rd. became the first member of its kind to join the International Franchise Association (IFA), solidifying its position as the first true cannabis dispensary franchise in the U.S. The franchise was also named one of the "Best Cannabis Companies to Work For" in the dispensary category for Cannabis Business Times' 2022 and 2020 lists. For more information, visit unityrd.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Marisa Beaumont, Fishman PR, [email protected], 847.945.1300

SOURCE Unity Rd.