Lansterdam in Review: Serene vibes transform East Lansing pot shop into a wooded oasis

You wouldn’t know Pleasantrees is a pot shop from a distance. It’s hard to tell from inside too.

Tucked into its own woodland hideaway near Costco on Merritt Road, the newly renovated building is often confused for a day spa or some type of nature center, staff said. In a former life, it was a dental office. Since July, it has been a sales floor for one of the widest — and dankest — selections of medical-grade cannabis available on the Greater Lansing market.

Staff expect recreational sales to kick off before the end of October, but until then you have to be a card-carrying patient to gain full access to this stoner paradise. They let me take a tour.

Finely manicured shrubs and leafy plants surround this tranquil space, with an attached rock garden and plenty of outdoor seating, presumably to relax after you’ve dropped $500 on weed. Security that greeted me immediately upon arrival told me a family of deer has been known to graze out back. And unlike many shops that switched to curbside sales, Pleasantrees is still open for in-person shopping with limited capacity, beefed-up social distancing measures, face masks and barriers. One could be forgiven for thinking they’ve teleported to northern Michigan.

Skymint stores in Lansing also reopened for in-person shopping experiences late last week.

This is Pleasantrees’ only dispensary for now, but expansion plans are in the works — perhaps for a second location in Greater Lansing, I’m told. And they’re all designed with one goal in mind: make customers feel welcome. Staff “guides” are there to help every step of the way.

A translucent wall separates the goods from one of the most gorgeous waiting rooms I’ve seen. And inside is a professional and aesthetically pleasing bookstores of a weed shop. Glass countertops fit for precious gems display several varieties of flower — all grown at Pleasantrees’ cultivation and processing powerhouse in Harrison County off the shores of Lake St. Claire.

Top sellers: Fatso #2 and Garlic Sherbert. Staff recommendation: Jet Fuel OG.

Behind the bud are shelves and shelves of edible and topical THC and CBD products: tinctures, cookies, brownies, peanut butter, hard candies, gummy bears, lotions, even a CBD suppository.

The store also sells books, vaporizers, glass bubblers and bongs and pipes. Staff are also quick to point out a $6,000 limited edition Nike shoe suspended midair in a futuristic floating display.

It’s not for sale. Don’t try to touch it.

The team at Pleasantrees are also about more than stunning aesthetics. In a partnership with scientists at Sfumato Fragrances, they’ve made terpenes an essential part of the cannabis experience. Each product has its own distinct terpene profile for a custom tailored sort of high.

Shoppers still hesitant to go out amid the pandemic can also be comforted by physical barriers at each checkout point and service area, markers to ensure social distancing and strategically placed sanitation stations. Only 10 shoppers can come in at a time and masks are mandatory.

Curbside shopping is also available; orders can be placed online at enjoypleasantrees.com.

I’m not one to rave about interior design; I’d rather just go in and buy some pot. But with a place this stunning, I couldn’t wait until they opened their doors for recreational sales to check it out. They’re open every day from noon to 8 p.m. See it for yourself. Tell them I sent you and maybe they’ll give you a free joint. (OK probably not, but I guess you can give it a shot anyway.)

Lansterdam in Review is a weekly column written by Kyle Kaminski, a City Pulse staff writer and cannabis enthusiast who has been smoking marijuana just about every day for the last decade. Kaminski samples some of the best bud in Greater Lansing, gets real high and writes about it.