Fresh Karma Going Big on Midtown Marijuana Dispensary

By Kevin Collison

A long-neglected property at 240 E. Linwood across from Costco and Home Depot is slated to be the home of one of the city’s larger medical marijuana dispensaries.

Construction is underway for a 5,500 square-foot dispensary operated by Fresh Karma.

It’s one of three dispensaries the firm is planning. The others are in St. Joseph and in Parkville at 10915 NW 45 Highway, according to the firm website.

Representatives of Fresh Karma couldn’t be reached for comment, but the project was approved by the City Board of Zoning Adjustment earlier this year.

Although the planned dispensary is located just south of the Union Hill neighborhood, the BZA staff report stated no notifications were required because it did not lie within any registered neighborhood or civic organization.

View of the planned Fresh Karma dispensary from Linwood. (Image from Fresh Karma website video)

A rendering of the project on the Fresh Karma website and the BZA report show it will be a well-landscaped, contemporary, one-level building of glass and masonry with about 34 parking spaces.

On its website, Fresh Karma describes its goal as providing “a safe and understanding environment for those individuals using medicinal marijuana to improve their lives on the whole.

“Fresh Karma strongly supports the rights of medical marijuana patients in the state of Missouri. We will work to educate and create community awareness on the benefits of medical marijuana.”

The facility will have a retail area where Fresh Karma clothing items including hats and T-shirts will be sold.

The firm also intends to participate in charitable activities.

“A portion of all sales will fund our local community charity projects, including feeding and sheltering the homeless and city beautification initiatives,” the website stated.

The Fresh Karma dispensary is being built across from the entrance drive to Costco and Home Depot.