By Tana Poncsak, contributor

Greater Decatur, GA — The commercial space formerly occupied by Pac-A-Sac at 2607 Lawrenceville Highway near The Corner Cup Coffee shop will soon have a new tenant. 

Fine Fettle Dispensary is set to open in the space vacated by the Pac-A-Sac convenience store a few years ago. It is a cannabis dispensary, and Georgia locations will provide medical cannabis to patients registered for medical cannabis use in the state. 

According to Benjamin Zachs, chief operating officer at Fine Fettle Dispensary, Georgia law allows for a 50,000-square-foot cultivation facility and five retail locations. The cultivation and extraction facility is in Macon, with retail locations set for Athens, Evans, Peachtree Corners, Smyrna, and Decatur. They plan to open the Decatur and Smyrna retail sites first, tentatively set for the end of May to early June. If all goes according to plan, all retail sites in metro Atlanta will be open by early July.

The Decatur retail site in greater DeKalb County is considered a prime location. 

“We wanted to look at key population centers, so we broke down the sites in the greater Atlanta area into central hubs,” Zachs said. With zoning laws keeping Fine Fettle Dispensary out of Atlanta, Zachs said the Decatur site, located inside the perimeter and with its proximity to Atlanta, offers excellent access to patients in the greater Atlanta area. 

In March, crews could be seen renovating the Pac-A-Sac space to make way for a new medical cannabis dispensary. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

Cannabis can help patients manage pain and ease symptoms caused by several chronic conditions. Medical cannabis use was legalized in the state of Georgia on April 16, 2015, with the passing of the Haleigh’s Hope Act, which allows the medical use of cannabis oil with up to 5% tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. 

You must be registered with the Georgia Department of Public Health and have a card to purchase Fine Fettle Dispensary products, including topicals, pills, and more. Retail staff members will be trained and will take a personalized approach with each patient to find the right product for individual needs and goals. 

Zachs said there won’t be anyone on site to prescribe or sign individuals up for a card. 

“It’s not allowed by law for us to have a prescriber on staff, but there are prescribers throughout the state,” Zachs said. “Once you obtain a card, we can help you from there. And we can also educate you through the process.” 

For more information about that process, click here.

Those who work at Fine Fettle Dispensary recognize this is all new to Georgia, and they realize there may be a lack of understanding. They also know there will be a lot of questions and, perhaps, a stigma around what they do at Fine Fettle Dispensary. But with their experience in other states, Zachs said they also know it’s a powerful medication that’s helped many people and has the potential to help many others.

“We hope to educate everyone across the state of Georgia, and I think people will be unbelievably impressed with our knowledge and professionalism,” Zachs said. As for the product, Zachs said, “It truly works, and it really makes a difference in people’s lives.”

A couple of the business owners in the center are happy to welcome their new neighbor.

Aaron Zarczynski, owner and executive chef of Pea Ridge Kitchen and Bar, said, “The more the merrier,” when discussing Fine Fettle joining the restaurant and the other businesses in the center.

And Mike McKenney, owner of Atlanta Musicians Exchange, said he welcomes the new tenant. 

“I’m excited about it,” he said. “I think having a shopping center with vacant spaces is not a good thing for anybody. I think it’ll probably help my business by bringing awareness to people.”

McKenney also said he hopes having a new tenant will motivate the landlord to make some much-needed improvements to the center.

Fine Fettle Dispensary currently operates in Connecticut and Massachusetts. For more information about Fine Fettle Dispensary coming soon to Georgia, visit https://www.finefettle.com/georgia/.

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.

If you appreciate our work on this story, please become a paying supporter. For as little as $10 a month, you can help us keep you in the loop about your community.