Lucky Strains; Building Community, One Plant at a Time

In Minnesota’s evolving cannabis landscape, small independent businesses are helping shape the culture and community around the plant. This month’s Community Spotlight features Lucky Strains, a truly family-run dispensary operated by husband-and-wife team Philly and Bear. Their mantra is “Love Loud”.

What began as a passion rooted in the legacy market has grown into one of the Twin Cities’ authentic mom-and-pop cannabis businesses. Through persistence, community involvement, and a deep belief in the power of the plant, Bear and Philly have built something that goes far beyond retail.

The Journey: From Legacy Roots to Legal Retail

For Bear and Philly, cannabis has always been about helping people. Their involvement with the plant goes back to the legacy market in the late 1900s, when they helped members of their community access cannabis long before it was officially recognized as medicine.

Their path into the legal industry began in 2019 with the launch of Lucky’s Treehouse, a CBD brand focused on introducing people to plant-based wellness. The early days were grassroots, giving away CBD products through raffles just to help people experience the benefits.

From there, the business continued to evolve. There were multiple rebrands, years of online and event-based sales, and a steady effort to build a loyal community. Eventually, that persistence led to a major milestone: opening a retail location and securing one of the first retail-endorsed microbusiness licenses in the Twin Cities.

Today, Lucky Strains proudly serves customers in-store, continuing a journey that has always been driven by the same mission, getting this ancient medicinal plant into the hands of the people who need it. Also preparing for their family delivery service to launch very soon called “Pops HomeGrown Hauling” owned by Bear’s dad, a retired disabled veteran. Providing even more accessibility for the elderly and customers with limiting health conditions or without access to transportation.

For Bear and Philly, persistence and fortitude have been the most valuable ingredients in their growth and success.

Community First: Cannabis as Connection

Community involvement has been central to the Lucky Strains philosophy from the very beginning. Bear and Philly believe cannabis businesses should actively support the communities they serve.

They regularly participate in events that bring people together and help normalize cannabis through education and conversation. Over the years, Lucky Strains has been present at community gatherings including:

• The Saint Paul St. Patrick’s Day Parade

• West Side Saint Paul Cinco de Mayo celebrations

• Local farmers markets and holiday markets

• Pride events across the Twin Cities

They also prioritize collaboration with Minnesota makers, ensuring local cannabis products have a place on their shelves.

Most recently, Lucky Strains even welcomed New Brighton Mayor Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas and City Manager Devin Massopust onto their YouTube show Strain of the Month, opening the door for honest conversations about cannabis between the industry and local leadership.

Giving Back

For Lucky Strains, every purchase is also an opportunity to support something bigger.

A portion of proceeds from every order goes toward organizations and causes that have impacted their family, including:

• No-kill animal shelters

• Breast cancer foundations

• Child abuse prevention programs

They also make their products more accessible through community-focused discounts, including “Wise Owl” “Thank You” and “Warrior” programs for:

• Seniors

• Veterans

• First responders

• Healthcare workers

• Educators

• State employees

• Survivors of cancer, heart conditions, Parkinson’s, Epilepsy, Anxiety, PTSD and all Mental Health conditions.

One of the most rewarding parts of their work, Bear and Philly say, is hearing from customers whose lives have been positively impacted by cannabis.

Looking Ahead

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, Lucky Strains is focused on becoming a trusted household name in Minnesota.

Education and normalization remain at the core of their mission. They also keep a close eye on the future of federal cannabis policy and believe that rescheduling could happen in the near future. By maintaining strong relationships with both their community and local government leaders, they hope to stay ahead of regulatory changes and continue operating responsibly.

Lessons from the CannaCoaster

When asked what advice they would give someone entering the cannabis industry, Bear and Philly are honest about the challenges.

Cannabis is one of the most complex and unstable industries to operate in, and new businesses should be prepared for unexpected obstacles, including shifting regulations, slow market rollouts, and competition from the legacy market.

Their biggest advice: start small and scale intentionally.

Building a strong foundation takes time, patience, and persistence. Many businesses that attempted to grow too quickly have struggled to survive the unpredictable nature of the market.

Lucky Strains calls the journey “the Minnesota CannaCoaster,” and their long-term mindset is what has helped them stay in the game.

Family, Resilience, and Gratitude

Lucky Strains is proudly woman-owned and family-operated, making it one of the few true mom-and-pop dispensaries in the Twin Cities.

Their story is also one of resilience. Just four months after launching the business, owner Bear was diagnosed with breast cancer. Over the next 14 months she underwent four surgeries, all while continuing to build the company alongside her husband.

Today, she has been cancer-free for three years.

Through every challenge, their community has shown up with support, something Bear and Philly say they will never take for granted.

Lucky Strains is more than a dispensary, it’s a reflection of the people behind it and the community that helped it grow. Through persistence, compassion, and a deep commitment to the plant, Bear and Philly continue to prove that small businesses play a powerful role in shaping Minnesota’s cannabis future.

And if their journey so far is any indication, this is only the beginning.

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