Klutch Cannabis, which plans to build its flagship store in Akron, intends to displace a West Market Street flower shop that had initially opposed the dispensary.
Akron-based Klutch on Friday will ask the city planning commission for permission to renovate the building Pink Petals florist now occupies, at 1960 W. Market St. It also wants to convert the vacant lot next door, at 1956 W. Market St., to a parking lot.
The request comes five months after Akron City Council approved a proposal to build the dispensary on the empty lot next to the florist. Also on the block is Ken Stewart’s Grille, a longtime neighborhood dining destination.
Pete Nischt, Klutch’s vice president of compliance and communication, said the company now intends to combine the two parcels on the corner — using the florist shop as the dispensary and converting the adjacent lot into additional parking to address traffic concerns raised by residents.
Klutch’s initial proposal drew pushback from some residents and nearby business owners who were worried about potential traffic and safety.
“We’re going to be able to add more on-site parking to further address concerns that people in the neighborhood have,” Nischt said.
Klutch Cannabis will help Pink Petals florist relocate
In documents submitted to the city, Tango Ventures — the development company that owns both properties — said it reached an agreement with Pink Petals owner Regina Milan to take over the small, red-brick shop she has operated in since 2012. Her lease at the shop, with large glass windows that showcase an array of colorful flowers each season, ends next December.
Because the company purchased the entire corner, Nischt said Klutch will support Milan.
“We’re going to help the business relocate and find a space that’s at least equal to what they have now, in the same area, so they don’t experience any interruption in their operations,” he said.
In July, Milan was one of several tenants who opposed the dispensary opening on the block, saying it would hurt her business. City Council approved that conditional use permit in a 10-3 vote.
Milan said she has not yet decided where she might relocate. In the July public hearing, she said she gets steady traffic from bikers and pedestrians in the area, which also includes a nearby Starbucks and CVS.
“Right now, I’m focused on serving my customers for the holiday season,” Milan said in a recent interview.
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Site will have landscaping, more off-street parking
Klutch Cannabis has locations in Northfield, Canton, Cleveland, Lorain and Loudonville. Nischt said in the July public hearing that the site would have extensive camera surveillance covering the perimeter and interior registers. He added that most of the company’s sales occur online, which he said should limit traffic impacts on the neighborhood.
The revisions to Klutch’s proposal meet the Akron Planning Commission staff’s request that the building be repainted and repaired to prevent cracking or peeling. The new plan also includes landscaping along West Market Street and South Frank Boulevard as well as the installation of a six-foot wooden fence along the southwestern property line.
The company’s leadership is made up of Akron residents, Nischt said, and their long-term goal is to establish the Akron dispensary as its flagship store. He said the proposed dispensary will not look significantly different from Klutch’s other locations. Since the company plans to use the existing florist building, only interior and exterior updates — along with new landscaping — are expected.
If approved by the planning commission, the proposal will move to City Council, which will schedule a public hearing, then a vote. The hearing is expected to be scheduled next year.
Ward 8 Council Member Bruce Bolden, who represents the area, was one of three members who opposed the dispensary earlier this year. He did so because he had a number of requests from residents who urged him to reject the project when it was first proposed, he said.
“I’ve got to go with the people who elect me,” Bolden said of his decision in July.
Because the project design has changed, Tango Ventures must again obtain approval from Akron City Council for the conditional use. The dispensary must also be reviewed and approved by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control before opening.
Bolden said he expects to hear from residents again about their views on the revised proposal.
If approved, the dispensary could open in the second half of 2026. It would operate from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.