Missouri awards second round of marijuana microbusiness licenses, 5 in Springfield

The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation issued 57 marijuana microbusiness licenses in the second round of applications. A minimum of six licenses were awarded within each of the state's eight congressional districts. Per district, two licenses are for microbusiness dispensaries and four are for microbusiness wholesale facilities. In this round, an additional nine licenses were awarded due to the revocation of round one awardees for rule violations, including one in Springfield.

More than 2,000 applications were filed during the April 15-29 application period, according to a Department of Health and Senior Services news release. A microbusiness license allows licensees to operate on a smaller scale than medical or comprehensive licenses and the majority owner must meet certain criteria. The license is designed to provide a path to facility ownership for those for whom that opportunity may not be as easily accessible.

In the 7th District, which represents the southwest corner of the state, all three dispensary licenses were awarded in Springfield, two to individuals and one to Virgo Vermilio. With this type of license, these entities can process, package, deliver and sell marijuana and marijuana products to other microbusiness facilities and consumers.

For both of the individual licenses, John Payne, who was the campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022 backing the legalization of marijuana in the state, is listed as the designated contact. Both of these license applications also list 1612 N. Lexington Ave. in northeast Springfield as the address, per DHSS lottery results. According to the Heyle Realtors website , this space is available to lease and was the former office and lab for the nearby railroad.

The address listed on the Virgo Vermilio's application is 1770 W. Sunset St., which is where BluCurrent Credit Union is located. A representative from BluCurrent said the bank had no knowledge of the address being listed on applications and is not affiliated with any marijuana businesses. The address was likely listed due it being advertised for lease for half of the building where BluCurrent is housed, according to the Jared Commercial & Management website .

While Virgo Vermilio does not show up in the Secretary of State business search, the designated contact for the application is Amanda Kilroe, an attorney with Michigan-based commercial marijuana real estate agency Canna Zoned MLS . Another application with Kilroe as the contact had its license revoked in Columbia for Frankenstein Enemy LLC due to failure to respond and provide documents requested by the DHSS.

Both Payne and Kilroe appear as the designated contacts for numerous applications, with both the Lexington and Sunset locations listed for several applications. According to past News-Leader reporting , just because the address is listed in the application, does not mean the dispensary must operate there. As long as it remains housed within the 7th District, it can be built elsewhere. All marijuana microbusiness applicants had to provide proposed facility locations, however, and these locations had to comply with location requirements outlined in the Missouri Constitution. Applicants also had to submit proposed blueprints of the entire facility.

Wholesale facilities awarded in Springfield

Two of the five wholesale facility licenses for the 7th District were awarded to applicants in Springfield. With this type of license, these four entities can grow up to 250 flowering plants and then process, manufacture and transport the products.

Braxton Jeske and Andrew Dean Bedell were both awarded the license. Per DHSS, the address listed on the Jeske's application is 3244 E. Gasconade St., a home in southwest Springfield. According to the Secretary of State business search, Jeske has three active LLCs registered at this address. The address in Bedell's application is 1612 N. Lexington Ave.

The other wholesale licenses awarded in the 7th District were to Sacred Smoke LLC in Seneca, Monsta Farms LLC in Sarcoxie and Fallout170 in Sarcoxie.

The 57 microbusiness licenses were selected by a random lottery conducted by the Missouri Lottery without reference to the identities of the applicants to ensure the "integrity" of the random drawing, according to the news release. Prior to issuing the licenses, DHSS conducted a review to determine whether applicants were eligible to receive a license.

What's next?

Marijuana microbusiness license holders are required to be in operation within two years of their business license issuance, according to previous News-Leader reporting. Over the next 60 days, DHSS will review eligibility for all 57 entities in order to certify them.

Applicants not selected in the lottery may be eligible for a refund of their application fees. Refund requests will be accepted from Aug. 24 through Jan. 24, 2025. Each applicant had to pay $1,500 to apply.

Another 48 licenses will be issued during the third and final round of microbusiness applications in 2025.

More: Here's why these Springfield, Columbia marijuana microbusiness licenses were revoked

Who received the remaining marijuana microbusiness licenses?

District 1 Dispensaries

• Millennium Retail LLC at 6934 Olive Blvd. in University City
• Green Oasis LLC at 322 Taylor Rd. in Hazelwood
• The Chronic Club LLC at 322 Taylor Rd. in Hazelwood

District 1 Wholesale Facilities

• Rare Breed Farms at 1283 Research Blvd. in St. Louis
• BlueMeanies at 1009 Locust St. in St. Louis
• Platinum Craft at 1009 Locust St. in St. Louis
• MicroLegacy at 1009 Locust St. in St. Louis

District 2 Dispensaries

• Euphoria Group LLC at 16590 Manchester Rd. in Wildwood
• Bug Stinging LLC at 3 Valley Park Rd. in Valley Park
• Pure Leaf Labs LLC at 16345 Westwoods Business Park in Ellisville
• Premium Pack LLC at 16345 Westwoods Business Park in Ellisville

District 2 Wholesale Facilities

• Clifton Cannabis LLC at 1291 N. Highway Dr. in Fenton
• Andrew Venne at 611 Trade Center Blvd. in Chesterfield
• Wolfie Dank Co. at 670 Goddard Ave. in Chesterfield
• Travis Dickens at 611 Trade Center Blvd. in Chesterfield

District 3 Dispensaries

• Both are individuals at 3990 Mexico Rd. in Saint Peters

District 3 Wholesale Facilities

• Twin Elephant at 6280 County Road 108 in Fulton
• Individual at 1664 Highway W in Elsberry
• DMS420 LLC at 7040B Highway HH in Catawissa
• Individual at 1664 S. Highway W in Elsberry

District 4 Dispensaries

• Potent Pals LLC at 501 W. Reed St. in Moberly
• Xylo Gleam LLC at 689 S. Monroe St. in Lebanon
• Divergent Dancers LLC at 689 S. Monroe St. in Lebanon
• High & Tight LLC at 900 E. Broadway in Columbia

District 4 Wholesale Facilities

• Lit Naturals LLC at 3421 State Route H in Fayette
• High Maintenance Farm LLC at 4509 Interstate 70 Dr. SE in Columbia
• Travis L Brown at 34651 Highway M in Edwards
• Marley at 19015 S. Mackie Lane in Hartsburg

District 5 Dispensaries

• KC Cultivators LLC at 1622-1624 Saint Louis Ave. in Kansas City
• Flower to the People at 13621 US-40 E. in Independence
• Farm Fantasies LLC at 3945 S. Bolger Rd. in Independence

District 5 Wholesale Facilities

• Drama Dunes LLC at 704 Squire Ct. in Grain Valley
• Cut the Grass LLC at 3690-3700 Main St. in Grandview
• Verdant Sun Journey LLC at 113 Shotwell St. in Richmond
• Cobalt Star Voyager LLC at 113 Shotwell St. in Richmond
• Infinite Luck LLC at 340 NW Capital Dr. in Lee's Summit

District 6 Dispensaries

• Idyll Zone LLC at 119 S. Business Hwy 61 in Bowling Green
• BL Enterprises at 4797 Siena Dr. Unit B in Saint Joseph
• Captured Crescents LLC at 1403 N. Jesse James Rd. in Excelsior Springs

District 6 Wholesale Facilities

• Individual at 35475 in Taylor (While this is an incomplete address, DHSS Communications Director Lisa Cox said there is only so much required early on in the application process.)
• MB Doinks LLC at Pike 301 in Cyrenne
• Individual at 35475 300th St. in Taylor
• BK Doinks LLC Pike 301 in Cyrenne

District 8 Dispensaries

• Individual at 330 N. Creek Dr. in Festus
• Individual at 333 Leroux Dr. in Doniphan

District 8 Wholesale Facilities

• Dorris Cultivating & Wholesale at 1166 Wayne Route EE in Silva
• Andrew L Hoover at 16565 Highway BB in Licking
• LL Wirtz LLC at 3602 Highway K in Bonne Terre
• Baca Cultivating & Wholesale at 1166 Wayne Route EE in Silva

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri awards second round of marijuana microbusiness licenses, 5 in Springfield