Kelso pot shop sends employees to help supplier on the farm to keep up with demand

KELSO, Washington -- The short supply of recreational marijuana is keeping the doors closed at many newly opened shops in Washington – but one store in Kelso is trying to speed up the process, according to KPTV.

Kathy Nelson, the owner of Freedom Market, tells KPTV she sent five of her 17 employees to the supplier's farm in eastern Washington to help trim and package the very marijuana she's waiting on; however, they are not legally allowed to drive it back.

"They were telling us where they were at in their process and how much longer it was going to take for the manpower they don't have for trimming and packaging," Nelson said. "So we said, 'We'll be there in force!'"

Her shelves have been empty for almost a week now, and her shop has been forced to close until the next shipment arrives. With the added help on the farm's end, she expects to get a delivery of roughly 4 and a half pounds of marijuana on Saturday – double her usual delivery – but still only enough to last four to five days by her estimates.

"The phone has been ringing off the hook," she added. "I'm on the phone with somebody, they're asking, 'When are you going to have product?' or 'How much longer do you think it's going to be there?'"

If she only knew - Nelson expects the kinks in the chain of supply and demand to be worked out by late summer. Once there is a steady supply of product coming in, she plans to hire another eight to 12 employees and open her second recreational marijuana store in Longview.