Seattle’s brash king of pot raking in cash and raising hackles at Uncle Ike’s

The Seattle Times ^ | Feb 7, 2016 | Bob Young

[steve86]

Just after Uncle Ike's Pot Shop opened in Seattle's Central District, it boasted in an ad, "Our weed cures Ebola."

Knowing that merchants in the new industry weren't allowed to make any medical claims about pot, the fine print disclaimer winked: "If you believe this ad, you are a (expletive) moron."

That in-your-face Vern Fonk-on-weed sensibility has helped make Uncle Ike's the state's top-selling pot store, with $1.4 million in monthly sales.

It's also changing the personality of 23rd Avenue and East Union Street, once a predominantly African-American corner, with neon signs, a wall-mural ad, food truck, sign-waving mannequin and retro-chic van to shuttle customers from Capitol Hill. Above the entrance to the store's office, down the block, another neon sign mocks: "Hey stoner, around the corner."

[steve86]

(heavily excerpted per Seattle Times requirements)

Dude seems like an even edgier and brasher Donald Trumpeneur

[steve86]

PING!!!

[zeestephen]

Great ping, Steve! Thanks.

I didn't read your comment until after I read the article.

We had exactly the same response - this guy is a stoner Donald Trump.

Growing up in his house must have been like living inside a crazy reality show. My parents would have never allowed me to hang out with his kids.

I live two blocks away from the downtown Bellevue Pot Shop. I think it's called Green Elements.

Our Socialist City Council decided 18 months ago to convert my crime free, formerly lower middle class, little corner of downtown Bellevue into a new Obamaville. Tragic, is all I can say. They built or converted 450 Section 8 apartments. And that's just half the good news! Our local Marxist Christian Church sold its former church to a condo developer, then bought an old commercial office building just 100 yards away, and they are converting it into a 275 bed homeless shelter.

So, I now have a thousand poor jobless new neighbors who can walk to the marijuana store in a couple minutes!

[KC_Lion]

Ping!

[ConservingFreedom]

Capitalism triumphs again:

Uncle Ike's is now selling $99 ounces, about half of what the cheapest ounces cost at Seattle's leading shops. That appears to be a first in legal pot, said Greg James, publisher of Marijuana Venture magazine. Eisenberg is going to change the industry with his approach, James predicts, forcing some farmers - "who think their pot is grown with unicorn poop," Eisenberg said - into greater efficiencies and lower prices.