The city of Peterborough is about to see the opening of a second pot shop.
Kasa Kana, owned by Evan and Aren Arkarakas, will be in the Mapleridge Plaza on Lansdowne Street West near Brealey Drive.
The two brothers tell Global News they applied for the store on March 2, the day the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario began accepting applications for retail pot shop locations.
In an interview, Evan Arkarakas tells Global News the process to obtain a licence was long and gruelling.
The brothers had taken part in both of the Ontario government’s lotteries for cannabis retail store authorizations. However, they were unsuccessful in each bid.
“We ended up sticking through, and our dreams finally came true. The AGCO definitely stepped up to the plate and put a process in place that made everything a lot smoother,” says Arkarakas.
However, like many business owners, the Arkarakas brothers have had to adapt their plans to open the store due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When we put our application in, it wasn’t even a thought. But then with everything that has happened, we had to take social distancing seriously to ensure the safety of our staff and customers,” says Arkarakas.
The owners say they will be installing plastic shields at checkout counters, as well as marking the floors to maintain a two-metre space between staff and customers.
The brothers say they will be offering online and delivery services for customers in Peterborough starting in August.
They’re planning to open a second Kasa Kana store in Huntsville, Ont., in 2021.
Peterborough’s first cannabis dispensary opened earlier this year on George Street.