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Schaumburg's first recreational pot dispensary opens near Woodfield Mall

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say Sunnyside is Schaumburg's first recreational marijuana dispensary. A medical marijuana facility once operated in Schaumburg but relocated to Arlington Heights in 2018.

Schaumburg's first recreational marijuana dispensary opened with little fanfare Wednesday - but the customers who visited Sunnyside were happy to learn it's ready for business.

"It's nice," said Round Lake resident Jose Aguirre, who stopped in to buy cannabis flower and a vape cartridge. "Everybody's friendly, and if you have any questions, everyone is well-informed."

A grand opening celebration is planned for 11:30 a.m. today at the store, 1735 E. Golf Road. Mayor Tom Dailly and state Rep. Michelle Mussman are set to attend.

Sunnyside is in the Woodfield Gatherings shopping center on the north side of the Woodfield Mall property.

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the store aims to serve people who are recreational users, not people with medicinal needs.

Because of the COVID-19 crisis, customers must place orders online at sunnyside.shop and pick up their products at scheduled times. People who drop by will be allowed to make orders using iPad tablets outside the store.

Up to 30 customers will be allowed in the store at once. Customers will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing inside.

The 11,500-square-foot dispensary occupies what had been two storefronts. Most of the interior - painted white and orange, the official Sunnyside colors - is open space, providing customers a lot of room to circulate.

"This is a modern cannabis shop," said Jason Erkes, a spokesman for Sunnyside's parent company, Cresco Labs. "It's bright. It's airy. It's welcoming."

Product displays featuring packaging for marijuana flower, pot-infused gummies, oils, pipes and other items line a wall near the entrance. The actual items are in a vault hidden from public view.

A long sales counter with 16 registers occupies quite a bit of space, too. Purchases can be made with cash or debit cards but not credit cards.

Customer Cedric Smith of Rolling Meadows liked what he saw Wednesday.

"It's clean," said Smith, who bought pre-rolled joints. "It looks like they've got everything organized."

Chicago-based Cresco also owns dispensaries in Buffalo Grove, Elmwood Park, Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois, as well as in other states.

Sunnyside's status as Schaumburg's lone dispensary won't last long.

The village board last week approved plans for a dispensary at 820 E. Golf Road. To be called Enlightened, it'll be run by Chicago-based Revolution Global, which has a medical marijuana dispensary in Mount Prospect.

Illinois' roughly 60 marijuana dispensaries sold more than $60.9 million worth of products in July, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. That was a monthly record for the state since recreational cannabis use and possession by people 21 or older became legal Jan. 1.

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  Popcorn is one of the recreational marijuana products available at Sunnyside. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Mints are among the products available at Sunnyside, the new recreational marijuana dispensary in Schaumburg. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  A customer completes a purchase at Sunnyside, the new marijuana dispensary in Schaumburg. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  A customer picks up an order at Sunnyside, the new recreational marijuana dispensary in Schaumburg. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  The Sunnyside recreational marijuana dispensary opened Wednesday in Schaumburg. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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