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New plan proposes Revolution cannabis dispensary in north Normal strip mall

The new proposal would put a Revolution dispensary at 1609 Northbrook Drive, a strip mall in north Normal that’s near other businesses, apartments, and a mobile home park.
Town of Normal
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Proposed facade sign
The new proposal would put a Revolution dispensary at 1609 Northbrook Drive, a strip mall in north Normal that’s near other businesses, apartments, and a mobile home park.

A new proposal has emerged for what would be the Town of Normal’s second cannabis dispensary – just weeks after the Town Council rejected another dispensary in a different location.

The new proposal would put a Revolution dispensary at 1609 Northbrook Drive, a strip mall in north Normal that’s near other businesses, apartments, and a mobile home park. The plan was submitted by Mark Steinmetz of Arizona through his company, Illinois Health & Wellness LLC.

The plan calls for an “extensive security system” to be installed at the property. It would be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, and 12-6 p.m. Sundays, according to plans submitted to the Town of Normal. It would serve around 250 customers per day, with 25 full- and part-time employees, the plans said.

Revolution is a Chicago-based cannabis company that operates retail locations in four states. It also runs a large cultivation facility in Delavan, about 35 miles west of Bloomington-Normal.

The application for a special use permit was submitted to the town Feb. 10, just four days after the Town Council rejected a separate plan – to open a High Haven dispensary near College Avenue and Veterans Parkway. Traffic congestion and family-friendly stores nearby gave some Normal leaders pause. Currently, Normal’s only dispensary (run by Beyond Hello) is located in far north Normal, although that same company’s other local location (in Bloomington) is located on a highly visible stretch of Veterans Parkway.

After the vote, Mayor Chris Koos said the council needed to have a “policy discussion” soon focused on how many dispensaries the town would allow, and guidelines as to where they should go.

“We have to have a better understanding as a council on what we want and what we think our community wants. We didn’t do that. Maybe shame on us. But we need to do that,” he told WGLT.

The plan for the Revolution dispensary is expected to go before the Normal Zoning Board of Appeals during a meeting at 5 p.m. March 16.

Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
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