A handful of eager customers entered the territory’s first private retail store this morning, as Triple J’s Canna Space swung open its doors at 10 a.m. in downtown Whitehorse.

John Smarch was the store’s first customer, buying 3.5 grams worth of product.

“I thought I’d try something new,” Smarch said this morning. “I have insomnia, so I’m going to try and do some self-medication and hopefully this will work,” he smiled, looking down in his paper bag.

Standing in the reception area, Smarch added he was impressed by the store and how things flowed with ease.

“It’s pretty good – it’s quick, easy, you just go in and out and we’re done,” he said, adding he plans to eventually sign up for a membership with the store.

“It seems to come in not-too-bad packaging, so I’m going to try it out later on – after work,” Smarch added.

The pair spearheading the effort to open the site is Jordi Mikeli-Jones and Jeremy Jones, both of whom were on hand for the ribbon-cutting.

The handful of customers began to grow, approaching the dozen range, as the opening inched toward the one-hour mark.

Another customer rolling through the doors was Jake Wykes, who guessed he’d now opt out of the YG store at Marwell.

“The government store is super-bland and boring,” he said, his Chocolope product in hand.

“You walk in there and you feel like you’re signing up for a mortgage or something, and you’re just not having a good time.

“But in here, it’s nice and colourful, there’s a wood floor, there’s a stone wall and the table in the middle is just so impressive.”

Supporting a local business was a huge factor in swaying his decision.

“Just a love for cannabis,” he said when asked what brought him out.

“Everybody’s local, I know pretty much everybody who works here, so it’s super-exciting to be a part of that.”