Tracey Lancaster Miller shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Tracey, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Being a cannabis business, there is a lot of misunderstanding about us. What we do, who we are, who we serve. Much of this stems from the stigma attached to cannabis. Our bright, welcoming environment surprises many people on their first visit. We are a highly regulated business, conforming to strict laws and regulations, with high ethical standards and a deep principle to be a good neighbor and contributing member of our community. The individuals we serve come from all walks of life and stages of life. From the cancer survivor to the grandmother with severe arthritis; from those with invisible illnesses to those with anxiety and sleep troubles; whether registered in the state’s medical program or shopping as a 21+ adult in the adult use market – everyone deserves to have a high level of attention to their individual needs, which is something that will be found in every shopping experience with Peake ReLeaf.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am the Executive Vice President and founding member of Peake ReLeaf, an independent cannabis dispensary in Rockville. Peake ReLeaf began as an idea between 3 friends, myself and my two business partners – Nate Miller & Warren Lemley – almost 11 years ago. We incorporated Peake ReLeaf 10 years ago and have been operational for over 7 years now.
What makes us unique:
-We are locally owned and operated. There are very few cannabis dispensaries that are owned by local Marylanders. All 3 of us founders grew up in this state – Warren in Rockville, where we are located, and Nate and I not far away in Baltimore
-Our leadership team. Emily Carden is our Director of Operations and Kevin Johnson Jr is our Director of Marketing, and both have been with us for 8 years, joining as the first members of the team and building Peake ReLeaf into what it is today. Their creative vision and valuable insights are directly responsible for our successes. They have always believed in what we could become and have committed to executing that vision and passing on that excitement to the rest of our team
-We are community driven. Even before opening, we participated in the early regulatory meetings and hosted open houses with the community, and since opening we have continued community initiatives such as expungement clinics and partnerships with non-profit organizations like the Last Prisoner Project, NORML, Marjiuana Policy Project and more, organizations that are dedicated to repairing the harm caused by the war on drugs
-Our loyalty program. Every dollar spent is a point and points can be redeemed for rewards like $100 off a purchase, vaporizers and even some products like cartridges, shatter and more. Most unique to Peake ReLeaf is that points never expire, so you can choose the best rewards for you without worrying about losing points
-Our deals. We have a huge selection of products with rotating daily and weekly specials. This includes scaling discounts for higher quantities of flower purchased
-Same day delivery service. Our delivery radius is set by zipcode and is approximately 12-15 miles. Patients and caregivers can give us a call to see if their home zipcode is within our delivery radius. Due to state regulations, delivery services are restricted to medical patients only
-Our knowledgeable and compassionate team. Our team has a deep understanding of the products we carry and how they can help ease symptoms to improve quality of life. Whether you are new to cannabis and need help getting started, whether you are already knowledgeable and know what works for you or are somewhere in between, our staff is here to help!
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was a teenager, I was arrested for possession of cannabis. I was privileged that this did not permanently negatively affect opportunities in my life. After going through a program for minors in similar situations, I did not end up with a criminal record, which would have affected my ability to access student loans or gain job opportunities, as has happened to too many people during the war on drugs.
I knew that cannabis had medicinal properties and that it could help people, and I also knew that cannabis as medicine was controversial at this time. There were only two medical programs that existed in the whole country then and neither had dispensaries as we know them today. While the stigma was enormous, I had trouble understanding that stigma, and I knew I wanted to live somewhere where I wouldn’t get into trouble for my choice to use cannabis. This led to me moving to Colorado to be a medical cannabis patient, where my academic and professional journey took me far away from and then eventually converged back to my love of the cannabis plant. I lived in Colorado for about a decade, and after completing my academic journey where I had intended to have a professional career in academia, I instead ended up working in the cannabis industry.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There were many times throughout the years of trying to open Peake ReLeaf that we could have given up. The obstacles in the cannabis industry are high, given that it is still to this day federally illegal. Opening and operating a successful, profitable business is already a hugely hard feat. Add all the layers for navigating cannabis complexities, and it is another level of difficulty.
The hardest time was just trying to get the doors to Peake ReLeaf open. We applied in 2015 for a dispensary license and had to wait over a year to hear from the state on whether or not we would be awarded a license. This was over a year of trying to keep a team together while working other jobs and while so many people who applied, their teams fell apart. Once we finally heard that we won, it was hard to find a landlord that would work with us. Almost no one knew that medical cannabis was legal since there weren’t any operation dispensaries, so many thought we were trying to open an illegal business. Once we found a property and began building out, we experienced so many issues and delays that there were times we thought the project may tank and Peake ReLeaf would never come to fruition. But we are stubborn and persistent, and we persevered through the hardships to open our doors in 2018. We have always been in this industry for the long haul, and our dedication to still being locally owned and operated today, over 7 years later, really highlights this.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Being on the front lines of cannabis legalization in Colorado was an incredible experience. It was inspiring to be part of the movement that first legalized cannabis in the US. Having the privilege to experience that moment again in Maryland, my home state, about a decade later, was incredible. But legalization without repair is not enough. The War on Drugs must end. Mass incarceration must end. As legalization sweeps across the US, prisoners must be released, automatic expungements must be put into place, and cannabis businesses must be treated like all other legal businesses. We strongly believe that we must, as a cannabis business, participate in repairing the harm the War on Drugs has caused. We do so through partnerships and support of non-profits and community initiatives. One organization we do a lot of work with is the Last Prisoner Project, which is dedicated to getting all cannabis prisoners released.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I don’t want to be remembered specifically, I am a very small piece in a shifting zeitgeist – where we are breaking the stigma of cannabis. When future generations look back at this time, I want them to clearly see the decades upon decades of advocacy that led us to this moment. And from here, hopefully the momentum that leads to legalization all across the country – legalization in a way that repairs harm and doesn’t support monopolies. Where mom and pop shops have a seat at the table and craft cannabis thrives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.peakereleaf.com
- Instagram: @peakestagram
- Linkedin: @peakereleaf
- Twitter: @peakereleaf
- Facebook: @peakereleaf
- Youtube: @peakereleaf
- Other: Merch store: https://peakereleafmerch.com/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
