A peek inside Ameri, Toronto’s second legal cannabis store

Ameri was the second legal, licensed cannabis store to open in Toronto when it officially hung out its shingle earlier this month. As far as grand openings go, this one has been relatively subdued. The owner, someone named Arash Ameri, is a person who, according to an employee, “likes his privacy,” and seems keen on flying under the radar. No one else who works at the store is revealing last names, evidently because of concerns about their future ability to cross the US border. The shop is located in a former illegal dispensary at Bay and Cumberland.

The space underwent a few renovations before opening. There are new floors and an interior wall that blocks the view of the shop from the outside (one of Ontario’s cannabis retail regulations is that the product can’t be visible from the street). Inside, Ameri sells flower, pre-rolled joints, capsules and oils from brands like Aurora, Tokyo Smoke and Alta-Vie. Despite assurances from staff that the shop won’t sell out of product, there were a few strains unavailable when we visited. Here’s a look inside.

They went with a rather on-the-nose decor theme:

There are quite a few sniffing jars around:

Prices start at $12 per gram, which is slightly more expensive than at the Ontario Cannabis Store:

More weed-themed decals. Customers can search for products on tablets:

Everyone has to provide ID at the door:

There are many checkout stations, to help avoid lineups:

20 Cumberland St., amerihempire.com.