Artist Tree: Oxnard's first cannabis dispensary opens doors

Oxnard finally has its own cannabis dispensary.

The Artist Tree, a Studio City-based dispensary, opened Tuesday at 600 N. A St. The opening marks the first among 16 dispensaries that have applied to do business in Oxnard.

Kenny Perez, Artist Tree’s vice president of operations, said the shop can display up to 96 different strains of cannabis, but there is more in the back. Between the various ways to consume cannabis, including inhaling and eating it, there are more than 800 different types of cannabis products for sale, Perez said. The dispensary also features local artwork.

Resident Daniel Bañuelos, 48, was one of about 20 customers who visited the dispensary by 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. As he moved around the store assisted by an employee, Bañuelos said it was the quality of the cannabis that led him to purchase an eighth of an ounce of the gelato and boba strains.

“I’ve been smoking for a while, so I can tell,” Bañuelos said.

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Oxnard joins Port Hueneme, Thousand Oaks and Ojai as the only cities in Ventura County with operating dispensaries.

For years, dispensaries have been trying to open in the city.

Oxnard began the process to open dispensaries in 2020. By May of that year, there were 50 applicants. But the selection process was scrapped in light of inconsistencies within the cannabis ordinance.

A second cycle began later that year. By the January 2021 deadline, 51 applicants applied for a cannabis retail permit. In the following months, City Manager Alex Nguyen selected 16 candidates who could apply for a special-use permit to begin selling cannabis.

Although the Artist Tree is the first to open, the other 15 dispensaries have been busy trying to open their doors.

FGH Retail Service has a special-use permit for a dispensary in the Shopping at the Rose center on Rose Avenue near Highway 101. However, the site was challenged by neighboring property owners who questioned whether the sale of cannabis violated an agreement between the shopping center and its tenants.

The City Council shot down the challenge in December 2021.

In February, the council overturned a Planning Commission denial of a special-use permit for TD Enterprise LLC to operate the Oxnard Holistics dispensary in the Oxnard Shores community.

The discussion garnered over 154 in-person and submitted public comments and a petition signed by 537 local residents who opposed the dispensary.

Kathleen Mallory, Oxnard's planning and sustainability manager, said the remaining dispensaries are expected to open at various times over the next year or so.

The Artist Tree, which calls itself an “art gallery that happens to be a dispensary,” features work from local artists on a rotating basis. The Oxnard branch displays paintings by Tony Smith and three other Southern California artists. The new store marks Artist Tree's sixth location.

Perez said the dispensary wants to lean into the relationship between cannabis and art, while creating a welcoming environment.

“What better way to highlight what cannabis stimulates, which is a creative edge and the artistic side of things,” Perez said.

The Artist Tree also has locations in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Riverside and Fresno. The company expects to open two more stores next year, including one in Ventura.

Brian J. Varela covers Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo. He can be reached at brian.varela@vcstar.com or 805-477-8014. You can also find him on Twitter @BrianVarela805.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Oxnard's first marijuana dispensary, The Artist Tree, opens