Verilife reopens for recreational sales in a ‘new era’
May 29, 2020
Customers now check in for appointments and wait in a socially distanced line. Photos by: Kenneth Borges
Once it is their turn, customers make their purchases outside.
Verilife employees take orders outside, so that customers don’t have to go outside.
Customers must now wait at these markers spaced out across the driveway.
Now that marijuana dispensaries are allowed to make recreational sales again in Massachusetts, lines of customers wearing masks and standing six feet apart can be seen outside of Wareham’s Verilife.
Customers are now asked to schedule an appointment on Verilife’s website, and to show up no more than five minutes early.
Once there, they wait in a socially distanced line and place their orders, before cashing out outside near the back of the building. This way, customers can make their purchases without actually having to go inside the facility.
“We’re excited to see our customers back in this new era, “ said Executive Director Shelley Stormo.
She added that in a time of stress and uncertainty, she is glad to be able to provide products that can reduce anxiety and pain for customers.
In addition to having people wait at rubber markers spaced out along Verilife’s driveway, Stormo said that employees are wearing PPE and strictly adhering to sanitation policies.
Employees are sanitizing their hands, and the ATM trackpad in between transactions. They’re also cleaning surfaces every 30 minutes.
Stormo added that proper use of PPE is enforced. “You will not see an employee at our facility with their mask down,” she said.
Even with the social distancing measures, Stormo said that Verilife has been seeing close to half as many recreational customers as it usually would this time of year.
Early on Friday afternoon, May 29 a line of customers had formed outside of Verilife, waiting for their turn to make a purchase.
Manager Matt Taber said that since the reopening on May 25, everyone has been very patient and understanding of the new precautions.
“The biggest things are that the customers are happy, and we’re practicing social distancing,” Taber said.
He added that debit card transactions are preferred, because Verilife is not allowed to take cash outside of the facility.
Those that do pay with cash can pay in the building’s lobby, but are still not allowed inside the main section of the facility.
Taber said that Verilife has also had to slightly cut down on the number of employees working at any one time, to limit the number of people inside the building.
According to Stormo, in the second phase of Governor Charlie Baker’s reopening plan, Verilife will be able to allow customers inside the building, but only at a reduced capacity.
