At Ounce of Hope on Cooper St., owner Collin Bercier has lined the shelves with a curated selection of CBD products like hemp teas from Oregon, infused honey from Colorado, face masks, pet oils, sleeping aids, transdermal patches, bath bombs, deodorants, and more. In the center of the shop, customers can interact directly with hemp flowers, as if in a laboratory. Collin opened Ounce of Hope in April and has created a space where Memphians can learn about the benefits of CBD.
“You see a lot of CBD stores opening up wherever you go, and you can even find products at the gas station, which baffles me,” Collin says. “If you’ve ever been to our store, it’s a totally different experience. When you walk in, you can get an education. My employees are industry trained and passionate about what we carry.”
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the primary compounds found in the cannabis plant. CBD does not produce a high but has been shown to help address anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain in patients during clinical trials. THC, a different compound found in cannabis, is what’s responsible for the plant’s psychoactive properties. THC can be found in limited quantities (under 0.3% in products labeled “full spectrum”) and removed entirely (products labeled “broad spectrum”). The Tennessee Department of Agriculture currently supports a state-wide hemp program that allows for the growth and sale of hemp flowers and products, meaning that all producers with licenses, like Ounce of Hope, are legal. Collin calls Tennessee’s program “the most progressive” in the South.
“Most of our customers use our products to help with anxiety, depression, and pain,” Collin says. “We see all across demographics. We’re getting millennials and we’re getting their grandmas.”
Collin warns that it’s easy to stumble onto fraudulent CBD products. To avoid this, the Ounce of Hope team recommends that consumers chat with their doctors and make sure to identify the certificate of analysis before purchasing. At Ounce of Hope, quality is ensured by QR codes on their products that link directly to lab testing results. They will open their own growing facility, located near the airport, by the end of next year.
“What I hope our customers realize is that we took the time to seek out a location in Memphis, and we’re not just a website that’s selling CBD with no accountability,” he says. “We’re hoping to plant our flag in Memphis, invest in this community, engage face to face with our customers, and grow from there.”
553 Cooper St, Memphis, TN 38104
901.572.1663
By India Nikotich
