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Oct. 21-22: Superior Genetics Harvest Festival - “A collective of international artists spanning generations, genres, and geographical borders, including Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry band Subatomic Sound System + Screechy Dan, King Shiloh + Red Lion, plus local Minneapolis mainstays Frogleg, Sean Anonymous, and many others.” Superior Genetics, 4419 Nicollet Av. S., Ste. A, Minneapolis. - Tickets available at superiorgeneticsmn.com.

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David from West St. Paul shared this photo of his Cookie Truffle Shuffle plant from Growcast Seed Co., on day 61 of flower. It was grown in soil with organic nutrients in a 4-foot by 4-foot bed and harvested two days later, he said.

Homegrowers, show off your plants! Share your best photo with us and we'll publish one each week in Nuggets. File size must be at least 1MB. By submitting a photo you are affirming that you own the rights to it and you are granting permission to the Star Tribune to publish it on its platforms.

Owner, Legacy Glassworks in Minneapolis and Duluth

legacyglassworks.com

I did a little bit of the wholesaling, and that’s where I found out that 99% of pipes sold in the U.S. are made in China and India. The shops are getting them for 30, 40, 50 cents a pipe and selling them for 20, 25 bucks. That is obviously a price that is not anywhere close to what I could do. I got real discouraged because no one would buy the pipes wholesale because they couldn’t understand the difference between a pipe made in China and a locally made pipe. There’s the thickness and the artistic quality behind it. That’s when I knew I needed to open my own shop. 

As soon as I graduated I moved to Duluth and opened a small 500-square-foot shop with no money. No one would give me loans. In 2016, we opened down here [in Lyn-Lake], which is really the destination gallery, where we have the full studio. I’ve been screaming from the rooftops, “We don’t sell imports. These are locally made. Support local glass blowers.” Now I can show people we’re literally making pipes in the back. 

How has the glassblowing scene in Minnesota evolved since then?

We’re the only shop in the state that doesn’t sell any of the Chinese or Indian imports. When I started in Duluth there were six or seven people that blew glass seriously and were making pipes in the entire state. Now we have 94 just in our shop. 

Are all of your pipes locally made?

We have 94 glassblowers from Minnesota, and then we have about 150 from around the country. But I only work with artists that I’ve at least met and know personally.

I noticed some very expensive pipes on your shelves. What is the market like for glass pipes that cost thousands of dollars? 

It’s a niche market but there’s a very vibrant modern art movement for pipes. There’s people out there making quarter-million dollar, half-million dollar pipes. We have something for everybody, but we’re one of a handful of galleries across the world that specializes in high-end. 

Obviously you have to have the money to be able to afford those types of things. Often these are people that have had, or currently have, successful cannabis brands in a legal state, where they’re actually making some really good money. We’re slowly starting to see, post-legalization, doctors, lawyers, people that have a normal job and are doing well for themselves slowly coming into this high-end market. That’s what I’m really optimistic for in the future. For years, those people have been smoking out of metal [pipes] in their garage, hiding it from their family and friends. But now that it’s become legal and more accepted, they just spent $10,000 on a watch or an end table, so what’s a $10,000 pipe? We’re slowly starting to see that grow.

This handblown glass pipe made by artists Disk and Mike Luna recently sold for $30,000 at Legacy Glassworks. - Matt DeLong, Star Tribune

You host gallery shows in the shop?

We do a lot of gallery shows, like a classic New York art opening but for pipes. We’ll do a big local artist or we’ll do big artists across the country. Fly them into town, often have them teach an advanced glassblowing class in our studio and then do a classic gallery show where they’ve been working, sometimes, six, eight, nine months just for a body of work to present all at one time at the gallery. 

How has your business changed since Aug. 1?

We were able to start selling [cannabis] seeds. There’s a lot of interest in that. The tricky thing now is, legally I can only buy from people that have the specific Minnesota seed labeler’s license. There’s a lot of local genetics that I want to get, but they don’t have that license. There’s a lot of people around the country that I want to get, but they don’t have that license. I do everything by the book, so I’m requiring everyone to show me a license. Then we started selling basic grow equipment. Since Aug. 1, sales have been amazing. 

What do you see for the future of your business? 

We’re currently closing our downtown Duluth shop. We’re going to re-open and rebrand as Legacy Cannabis in the Lincoln Park Craft District, right near Bent Paddle [Brewing Co.]. It’s a really awesome area filled with cool local businesses. So that store will be set up with a dispensary vibe, with a massive selection of local, low-potency edibles and beverages, seeds and grow equipment. But the local pipes are where my heart is, so we’ll still have a huge selection. And then in Woodbury, we’re going to have our third location, and that’ll be Legacy Cannabis also. I’m excited to be able to bring our local pipes and our large selection of low-potency products out to the suburbs.  

Do you want to become a full-blown dispensary?

Yes. It’s going to be a competitive license process, so I can’t predict the future. But I’ve been working since I first opened in 2010 to position myself to be a dispensary that is already known for quality across the state with everything we’ve done. From our gallery shows to the local pipes to the Legacy Cup — to be a household name before dispensaries open. The goal is definitely to apply for a mezzobusiness license and have the three dispensary locations in Minneapolis, Woodbury and Duluth. 

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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Answers to questions from readers

Q: Can I transport cannabis between Minnesota and Canada since it is legal in both places? 

A: No. Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level and attempting to bring it across the U.S.-Canada border would be a federal crime. 

Q: Do medical marijuana dispensaries employ pharmacists or any medical professional on location?

A: Yes. Patients must first be certified as having a qualifying condition by a state-licensed physician, physician’s assistant or advanced practice registered nurse before enrolling in the medical cannabis program. When the patient visits a medical dispensary for the first time, they will consult about a treatment plan with a licensed pharmacist, who will recommend medication. Additional consultations are required by law before changing the dosage or product. Every purchase of medical cannabis must be approved by a pharmacist.

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