Well, folks, it seems the Connecticut Higher Collective is throwing in the towel. Pack it up, light one last joint, and say goodbye to a couple of locations that couldn’t quite hack it in the CT world of legal weed. The Hartford and Willington locations are shutting their doors, proving that even in a state where cannabis is about as controversial as a Starbucks latte, running a dispensary is no walk in the park.
The announcement came with all the enthusiasm of a funeral dirge—a social media post and a shrug. The Willington store will vanish on January 13, while Hartford will stick around until January 27. After that? It’s the great beyond, or maybe just some empty strip mall space destined for a vape shop or another Dunkin’.
Why are they closing? Oh, the usual suspects: high costs, low revenue, and that ever-fun game of “blame the competition.” Apparently, there are too many cannabis businesses and not enough customers to keep them afloat. Shocking, right? Who could’ve guessed that flooding the market with more stores all selling the same overpriced edibles and underwhelming pre-rolls might not be the golden ticket to riches?
Now, before you shed a tear for the dearly departing, let’s take a moment to consider the harsh reality of the weed industry in Connecticut. Legal weed might be a booming business on paper as just a reseller, but in practice, it’s a labyrinth of regulations, taxes, and the kind of corporate nonsense that could make even the most chilled-out stoner lose their mind.
And let’s not forget the competition. Between the other dispensaries and the underground, these guys got squeezed tighter than a packed bowl. Connecticut Higher Collective tried to carve out a niche with their cozy vibe and local focus, but the market had other plans.
For the customers… Sure, they’ll miss the familiar faces and the friendly “what’s good today?” But let’s be real: they’ll just migrate to the next closest dispensary or hit up their guy Dave who’s been selling the same “exotic” strain since 2008.
So what’s next? Probably more of the same. A few more closures here, a few new openings there, and a whole lot of talk about how to make the industry more “equitable” without actually doing anything about it. Meanwhile, the big players will keep raking it in, and the little guys will keep struggling to survive. It’s the circle of life, weed edition.
As for Connecticut Higher Collective, maybe this isn’t the end. Maybe they’ll reinvent themselves, phoenix-like, as something new—a CBD boutique, a wellness center, or a kombucha bar. Or maybe they’ll just ride off and just focus on their other locations in CT.
Whatever happens, one thing’s for sure: the cannabis game in this state a brutal, cutthroat, and only the strongest—or the richest—survive. They tried. They failed. And now they’re gone, like smoke in the wind.
Keep it Weird,