Liquid Chrome is celebrating 18 years of business and opening the minds of many who are starting to see the downtown shop maybe isn’t such a bad place after all.
The water-pipe and other cannabis paraphernalia shop opened on Nov. 1, 2001 and has outlasted many surrounding shops in that time.
Assistant manager Eric Batters said with the change in Canadian laws a year ago to legalize cannabis use, and as people find out the many health benefits of the product, shops like Liquid Chrome are not being shunned like they used to be.
“We see a lot of the older generation not looking down at us and the culture and actually wanting to gain more insight to who we are and what we do,” he said. “It has definitely made it easier to explain our jobs and has made conversations with the in-laws less awkward.”
Through a lottery system, the Ontario government awarded cannabis retail store licences throughout the province in the last year, but a location in Barrie still isn't a reality.
Batters is confident that will change, but still thinks it's terrible it hasn't happened yet, especially in a city this size.
“It sucks that everywhere else got one and that Barrie doesn’t even have one up and running yet,” he said. “I know we will eventually get one, I’m hoping by next year.”Batters has been with Liquid Chrome for 11 years and has seen many changes in society’s view of the bongs and other ephemera.
“I guess over the years the stigma has lessened and we’ve become less of an eyesore to those who felt strongly against the smoking industry,” said Batters. “Now it seems that we are just like every other store out there and sometimes get whole families coming in to see just what is inside the doors."
Initially, owner Jason Clairman had a small store in Wasaga Beach for a couple of years before opening the current Dunlop Street East location.
After closing the Wasaga shop and focusing solely on the downtown Barrie store, Batters said that Clairman saw the opportunity ahead in Barrie.
“Jason focused all of his energy here mainly because it was a year-round location and a much bigger store,” Batters said. “He knew there was a need for these products and went ahead to serve a demographic that had no where to shop.”
The lack of a retail cannabis outlet in Barrie doesn't seem to be hurting Liquid Chrome, as they are expanding all the time. Having two floors for many years, they have now expanded next door where the convenience store used to be. That expansion gave Liquid Chrome approximately 3,000 square feet in additional space. Another expansion planned for early 2020 will double the store in size.
“Every year there are new products, new glassware and new artists to showcase,” Batters said. “We want to carry everything from high-end, artistic to inexpensive pieces, and upstairs we may go towards signed photography art, so memorabilia and collectibles. It will definitely be a sight to see.”
With all the changes in public perception, a mainstay of Liquid Chrome has been the staff, and they've seen it all.
Batters told BarrieToday the tight-knit group is more like family and has worked together for many years.
“We’ve had the same three people here for about eight years, them along with the owner,” he said. “It is a great place to work and Jason has always had a great business vision and taken care of his staff very well.
"I think we’re all headed to a concert tonight to celebrate the 18th anniversary.”
