Pontiac is finally entering Michigan’s recreational cannabis market more than six years after sales began statewide with the opening of Kulture 81, the city’s first licensed dispensary.
The provisioning center, located inside a converted building at 81 N. Saginaw St., held a soft opening last week and is scheduled to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Tuesday with city officials, including Mayor Mike McGuinness.
A grand opening is planned for April 20.
The launch marks a long-delayed milestone for a city of more than 60,000 residents that, until now, had no dispensaries.
Michigan began allowing recreational marijuana sales on Dec. 1, 2019, and dispensaries quickly spread across much of the state. But Pontiac lagged behind, even as nearby communities moved forward and captured tax revenue and investment.
The delay stems from a botched rollout of the city’s cannabis program. After Michigan voters approved recreational marijuana in 2018, the city struggled to set up clear rules for licensing and zoning. Applications stalled, developers sued, and projects never materialized.
Attempts to restart the process kept running into more problems. Lawsuits, zoning disputes, and turnover inside city hall created uncertainty that made it difficult for businesses to move forward.
Efforts to revive the program were repeatedly sidetracked by additional litigation, zoning conflicts, and administrative turnover, creating uncertainty that discouraged investment.
It wasn’t until Pontiac voters approved recreational cannabis in 2024 that the city finally cleared a path for retailers.
Kulture 81 is the first to open, with more expected to follow as the city considers other applications.
The arrival of cannabis retail also means new tax revenue for Pontiac. Under Michigan’s distribution formula, municipalities receive a share of the state’s 10% excise tax on recreational marijuana. This year, Michigan communities are receiving about $54,017 in tax revenue per licensed dispensary. Oakland County, which has 49 dispensaries, is set to receive about $2.65 million in cannabis tax payouts based on 2025 sales.
Kulture 81 co-owner Dave Parker has plenty of experience with cannabis. He was a cannabis event organizer and earned a certificate from Northern Michigan University’s cannabis business program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Parker says the business is focused on building a strong local presence as it ramps up operations.
“We are focusing on quality over quantity. We’re focusing on freshness, customer service, and education about cannabis,” Parker tells Metro Times.
Parker says the dispensary plans to create opportunities in Pontiac as the industry continues to grow.
“We are here to help the community,” he says. “We want them to know we are here to help create jobs and opportunities in the city of Pontiac, especially in an industry that was criminalized.”
The company is hiring as it prepares for its grand opening next month.
Parker says plans for the April 20 event are still being finalized.
“We’re trying to curate what we’re doing for that day, but we’re definitely planning something,” he says.
He adds that customer experience will be a key focus.
“Good customer service is the key to any industry,” Parker says. “You can go buy cannabis on almost every street in the state of Michigan, but you can’t find good customer service everywhere.”
Kulture 81’s shelves are stocked with high-quality flower, vapes, concentrates, and edibles. The brands include Voyage Bloom, Wojo, Hytek, and Peninsula Gardens.
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