VALLEJO MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ON MARIN STREET WILL ALSO SELL GROCERIES

The owner of one of Vallejo's dozen or more medical marijuana
dispensaries hopes to deflect growing criticism against his industry
by bringing groceries downtown.

He vows in particular to bring some products found at Trader Joe's
and Whole Foods, as well as other markets. If successful, his would
be among a very few downtown stores selling grocery items.

California Maritime Academy graduate, part-time actor and Vallejo
resident Matt Shotwell said he plans to separate part of his 3,800
square-foot dispensary space at 616 Marin St. and devote it to
groceries and coffee. He said he's not yet sure how much space will
be allotted for groceries, but he'll sell no meat or produce, only
snacks, drinks, condiments and other non-perishables.

"I've talked with some of the firms that supply Trader Joe's and
Whole Foods, at the fancy food shows, and they'll sell those same
items to me," Shotwell said. "For some, I'll use my own label --
Greenwell Whole Foods -- and the others will have the original label."

Trader Joe's spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said firm officials have no
comment on the issue. No one from Whole Foods headquarters returned
calls for comment.

While creating a mini-supermarket may be rare among pot dispensaries,
others have reportedly sold pot-laced edibles, and one, in Mammoth
Lakes, operates a yoga studio on the premises.

Whether Shotwell can bring groceries to his shop will in part depend
on whether his Marin Street building is properly zoned.

Michelle Hightower of the city's planning department said it is --
but only for grocery, not for marijuana sales.

Nowhere in Vallejo is zoned for pot dispensaries, though there are
reportedly more than a dozen of them in the city, mostly downtown.
Vallejo has no official stand on the matter, although the city went
through the courts to shut down one collective last year. That legal
battle is ongoing.

Meanwhile, City Council members, proponents and opponents are
pondering the issue, as they are in many cities regionally and nationwide.

Shotwell said he had been operating his dispensary under a yearlong
health food store permit, which expired and which the city won't
renew. Shotwell said city officials won't renew his license because
they don't believe he's running a health food store. No one from the
city's business license office could be reached for comment late
Wednesday afternoon.

Shotwell said he thinks adding healthy food options will increase his
chances of getting a legitimate city operating permit, although he
says that as a nonprofit, none is required. A city official said all
businesses require a license, although nonprofits can have the fee
waived under certain circumstances.

Part of Shotwell's goal is to prove to his detractors that "there's
nothing crazy going on" in his pot dispensary, he said. And he said
he hopes to improve his popularity among other downtown merchants by
increasing foot traffic from which they'll benefit. But Shotwell may
have his work cut out for him on that score.

"It sounds improbable," local building and business owner Janet
Sylvain said. "What will people come up with next?"

Shotwell said he got into the medical pot business out of personal experience.

"My father and my sister were diagnosed with cancer at the same time,
and they were helped by medical marijuana," he said. Both are now in
remission, he added.

The idea of bringing in groceries came in a similar manner.

"My sister got on a health food kick during her chemo," and he was
impressed with what she gave him to try.

A trip to the popular supermarket, Berkeley Bowl, sealed the deal, he said.

"I loved it, and I think I can make it work here," Shotwell said. "I
have the space, the money and the connections to make it all happen."

Downtown needs and deserves a grocery store, and Shotwell said he
intends to create one.

"We need a Whole Foods, people want Whole Foods, I can get Whole
Foods and we're going to have Whole Foods," he said.