Raquel Fanugao, Eric Contreras

New Cannabis Outlet Has Hundreds of Products

Owners moved from Toronto to set up shop

Article/images by John Campbell

Campbellford - Wed., July 29, 2022 - The convenience store that sold everyday items for decades at the corner of Grand Road and Bridge Street West is now a cannabis shop – but variety remains its strong suit.

There are hundreds of products on sale at Spiritleaf Campbellford, including dried flower, pre-rolls, vaporizer cartridges, edibles, and beverages, along with company-branded clothing and accessories.

“A connoisseur would have a good time in our store, finding and discovering new products,” says Eric Contreras.

A child and youth worker for more than 20 years, Contreras had worked at Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East General Hospital) for six years as a child therapist when he and his wife, Raquel Fanugao, a real estate agent, began looking for “a different type of life” outside the city.

The couple discovered Trent Hills and fell in love with the promise it held away from “all the craziness” in Toronto.

Contreras, 48, had been thinking about early retirement but decided he still had goals he wanted to fulfill and “running a business (with his wife) was one of them,” he said. “Let’s live our dream and pursue something that truly makes us happy. Even if we have to risk it all” — leaving a good-paying job that was very secure, to “jump into this unknown of running a business in a new town.”

The couple put their money into becoming a franchise partner with Spiritleaf, a chain of cannabis retail stores across Canada with plans to open more than 100 locations (https://spiritleaf.ca).

The company’s philosophy “really resonated with us,” Contreras said. “We wanted to bring a mature, sophisticated, professional approach and vibe to our store, and let people know that cannabis has come a long way” from the days of buying weed from dealers in “shady situations.”

Their aim was to create “a cozy and welcoming space,” he said, “for people of all walks of life.”
“It sounds kind of idealistic in this day and age but we we try to promote this idea of living in a world full of peace, love and harmony,” Contreras said, by making sure people who enter their store “get a really elevated customer service experience” that includes learning “something new about cannabis.”

For new users, “we always say start low and go slow. We definitely do not promote over-consumption here. In fact we promote people really taking their time with it because if you over-consume, especially if you’re not used to it, it can be a real turn-off.”

Also: “By no means are we medical practitioners here to give medical advice, so any type of wellness conversation that we have is always with the understanding that people should always speak to their doctor first before starting any type of new product,” Contreras added.
He personally selects all that is sold on what is a “deep menu” and he stands behind their quality.
“I put a lot of thought into making sure I’m carrying things that not only I would like (but) I know other people would enjoy as well.” he said.

The store also offers seniors a 5 per cent discount every day.
Since opening in June the couple has received “a lot of great feedback from the community. Our customers have been amazing. They (have) really made us feel like we’re part of this community.”

He wants the store to become “a hub” in Campbellford where like-minded people can “discuss things and be free from judgment”, knowing that “cannabis is something that’s for everyone.”

The staff includes store manager Zahra Syed, who also moved from Toronto to Campbellford, with her husband, to be part of the new venture.
“She’s a huge part of what we do here,” Contreras said.

As luck would have it, two other cannabis stores opened in Campbellford before Contreras and Fanugao did, which led residents to question whether the town can support that many outlets.

“We try not to concern ourselves too much with what other people are doing,” Contreras said. “We try to focus on what we’re doing here … (which is) to do the best job that we can to provide the best service … (and) keep it positive.”
Being an owner-operator with “a fair amount of autonomy,” Contreras said he believes “that personal touch comes across” in the service the couple provide.
“We’re very passionate about what we do here,” he said.

Contreras said “the cannabis culture is very well entrenched” in Trent Hills. “You have a lot of very knowledgeable people … so we’ve had some really amazing conversations … I’m learning so much from them.”
To learn more about Spiritleaf Campbellford, visit www.facebook.com/SpiritleafCampbellford.

Editor’s note: Trent Hills Now has learned one of the competition, Mary J’s, has, in fact, closed. It opened in March.