A new 3,300-square-foot medical marijuana dispensary opens February 17 at 132 E. Second St. in downtown Reno, steps from the Greater Nevada Field ballpark and amid pawn shops, cheap steaks, and blackjack tables. Local business owners position Mynt Dispensary to serve both Nevada residents and out-of-state patients in a prime tourist spot near hotels, the river, and hospitals. This arrival underscores Nevada's rare allowance for medical cannabis sales to visitors, expanding access in a revitalizing urban pocket.
Strategic Location Targets Patients and Visitors
Co-owner Scott Dunseath emphasizes patient access as the driving force behind the site selection. The dispensary sits equidistant from Reno's hospitals, close to downtown hotels where medical marijuana patients often stay, and in a high-traffic area outside Lake Tahoe. Nevada stands among a handful of states permitting sales to non-residents, giving Northern Nevada's roughly dozen dispensaries an edge in attracting out-of-state clientele. Mynt joins a south side strip with a Vietnamese restaurant, pawn shop, and Cal-Neva club, transforming a once-blighted block plagued by vacancies and vagrants.
Team Draws on Local Cannabis Expertise
Mynt represents the latest project from Kynd Cannabis Co., led by co-owners Mark Pitchford, Joanna O'Neal, physician Dr. Sean Devlin, and Dunseath, who also runs retailer Reno Envy. Kynd handles marijuana cultivation and extraction in Reno. Additional stakes come from Strainz, a cannabis brand by Hugh and Chris Hempel, and Prestige Worldwide, a permitting, licensing, and lobbying firm run by Clint Cates, Kiera Sears, and attorney Joey Gilbert. The former 2006 office space, abandoned after the recession, now features Nevada-themed interiors: stone mosaics, oak slab counters, and planned vintage downtown Reno photos.
Security and Redevelopment Amid Challenges
Owners have installed dozens of cameras inside and out to counter vagrant activity in the area. Clint Cates views the project as a catalyst for East Second Street's renewal, countering rundown conditions. While medical sales launch soon, retail marijuana awaits Nevada Department of Taxation regulations, with applications possibly opening late spring or early summer. Voters approved Question 2 in November, legalizing possession of up to one ounce of recreational marijuana or an eighth-ounce of concentrate for adults; medical cardholders may possess 2.5 ounces.
Broader Shift in Nevada's Cannabis Landscape
Nevada's dual medical and recreational framework positions downtown Reno to blend cannabis with its gambling and entertainment draw, potentially boosting local economy through tourism. The dispensary's opening aligns with post-recession efforts to repopulate vacant spaces, signaling confidence in marijuana's role within the city's fabric. As regulations solidify, Mynt could pioneer a model for urban integration of cannabis retail in tourist hubs.
