WENDOVER – After turning off Wendover Drive and cruising the “casino strip,” effectively ending my 119-mile run on I-80 westbound from Salt Lake City, I am heading west through Wendover and the casino lights are starting to fade behind me.
Another, more attractive, set of lights are starting to become visible in the distance as I drive further into the darkness of the Nevada desert.
An oasis of green neon lights in the dark of the desert night that only consumers like me get excited about begins to glow brighter.
The sign on top of the square, brick building in the middle of nowhere reads “Deep Roots Harvest” in attractive visual literacy as a backdrop for the stars to dance with.
Deep Roots Harvest is Nevada’s newest recreation cannabis dispensary located at 395 Industrial Way in West Wendover.
I made it to Deep Roots Harvest’s newest location at 395 Industrial Way West Wendover, NV from Salt Lake City, Utah in just under 3 hours.
The excitement sets in. It’s real and not the mirage that most of us Utah residents have been envisioning for over a year now. A year where the building sat empty and full of promises to come.
Although dispensaries have been opening in cities around Nevada since 2017, Wendover had a tough licensing process by the state, which delayed the opening of Deep Roots Harvest – Elko’s first cannabis dispensary.
The final certification and a Cannabis Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance inventory number from the Nevada Department of Taxation finally went through in December 2019, allowing Deep Root Harvest’s 45 employees to get to work in East Wendover.
Despite trying to contact Jon Marshall, COO of Deep Roots Harvest, we were unable to get any comment on the struggles and success involved in Deep Harvest Roots’ doors finally opening and its impact on Utah residents.
If he were willing to allow our new, independent, publication to interview him, I would expect Marshall to express a sentiment close to “all good things come to those who wait.”
Since doors have opened, the excitement is starting to spread like the infamous inversion throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
Those who are hip, know that a quick trip to Quintessence Health and Wellness, located at 880 East 9400 South, Ste 109, in Sandy, will make their trip to Wendover legal. Obtaining a medical referral letter in less than 15 minutes with qualifying conditions and medical history makes it legal to purchase cannabis products in Nevada and to travel home with it across state lines. Deep Roots Harvest even offers a discount to Utah medical patients. Ask at the register.
After parking and letting reality set in; I’m ready. The black-market game has trained a guy like me to be paranoid during cannabis-related situations. Especially during purchase. Once I saw clients coming in and out of the doors with smiles on their faces, and no red and blue flashing lights – I made my way in confidently.
As I walked into the door, the front-desk the employee greeted me kindly and checked another of many Utah state IDs. Moments later I was sent on my way into the great unknown and my personal adult playground.
According to employees, since opening their door on December 30th, 80-percent of their clients have been from Utah. Which is not unexpected.
Once I was in the main area, only two words came to mind: classy and organized.
Budtenders floated through the many tables of products looking for clients to help. This was a nice change of pace from the typical ‘get them in and out’ mentality you may experience in other dispensaries.
If you’re a novice, they can help educate you, but someone with more experience like myself is on their own when categorizing product. Budtenders still need a lot of work, but since they’re new, that can be expected, especially with new dispensaries in new areas.
The good news is that Deep Roots Harvest is one of many bigger cannabis companies offering education and career development. One reason an employee told me that they chose to work at Deep Roots Harvest, was that they’d rather work there than at the casino, which is a major source of employment in Wendover. Morale seems high amongst all employees, but hell, they talk to people about cannabis all day.
Live Resin and other high-THC extracts are available at Deep Roots Harvest located in West Wendover.
Each table had a specific product with many cannabinoid and terpene profiles available. Some grower information was also present, which is huge these days for medical patients and those who are strictly organic.
Organization is overlooked in many dispensaries nationwide. Deep Roots Harvest did it right and in my opinion has the easiest large dispensary to navigate out of those I’ve visited. The space also allows uneasy customers like me to do some self-investigation, without getting bothered.
For me, walking through a dispensary can be a lot like walking through a fine art gallery for others.
Flower was at the flower tables, extracts were at the extract tables, and edibles and cartridges were also following suit. Stuff was just easy to find.
Strain information, along with cannabinoid profile, terrapene profile and grower information was found at the convenient flower sample boxes, which also included smell sliders for full effect.
Flower selections were plentiful and ranged in Sativa, Hybrid, and Indica strains. Some you could tell were harvested later than most smokers would typically harvest. Visit the Deep Roots Harvest website to get a full menu of products available and those to come.
There were some 30% THC strains out there if that’s what you’re into. I like to medicate and get high school high when the situation calls.
Budtenders give you a slip of paper and pencil so that you can write down products you’d like. Take it to the register when ready.
No lines! And, your off on your way.
The most encouraging aspect while visit Wendover was seeing the abundance of workers that were born and raised in the Wendover area employed. Growing up in a casino town, it’s exciting to see residents get another opportunity for work and one that can lead to bigger and better things than casino life.
Recreational Cannabis and big dispensaries like Deep Roots Harvest are able to give these locals a different option for work, outside of the casinos, which can lead to other areas of the country. Deep Roots Harvest is also known for educating their staff, more than other similar companies do, to ensure their employees can be the best budtenders, grower, trimers, and salespeople in the industry.
Prices are high to say the least. Opening week deals weren’t present, which was a surprise compared to other dispensaries in the industry.
Since I’m a Utah Medical Card holder (affirmative action letter holder for now), I saved 10% during my visit and was on my way back home.
Leaving Wendover, I usually feel down about my decision to come. This trip felt no different. Hopefully when the 14 Utah medical dispensaries are open next Summer prices will become more competitive.
After purchasing four pre rolls, one ounce of flower, and one cartridge – I quickly realized I spent $300 more than I would have going my usual black-market approach in Utah. It was fun though.
According to the company’s website, Deep Roots Harvest first became licensed to cultivate cannabis in Mesquite, Nevada during November 2014. A year later, they harvested their first crop of medical cannabis. Their Mesquite dispensary was opened shortly after harvest and now their Wendover expansion is their latest.
