Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Highland Park

Feb 24, 2016

Andy Hunt, Co-Owner Elevele

From Tom:

Andy Hunt is a retired futures trader. He spent 22 years at Citigroup in Chicago. He and his wife are founders and owners of “elevle”, one of three medical marijuana dispensaries in Lake County. They expect to open in March in Highland Park, IL. Don’t ask, there will be no free samples, but lots of education.

From the Pioneer Press September 29, 2015

A Lake Forest couple has won zoning approval from the City of Highland Park to open a medical marijuana dispensary in the Briergate Business District west of Route 41.

The dispensary, to be known as Elevele, will operate out of leased space in a new building under construction at 1460 Old Skokie Road.

The city found the location satisfied state and local requirements that prohibit dispensaries from locating in residentially-zoned areas or within 1,000 feet of the property lines of public or private schools, day care centers and day care homes.

"The facility will essentially have the character and functionality of a doctor's office combined with a pharmacy," said Joel Fontane, director of community development for the City of Highland Park, in presenting the petition to the city council at the meeting Sept. 28.

According to the petition, the dispensary will provide medical marijuana in the form of buds, concentrates, infused edibles and topical creams to patients and caregivers holding valid registration cards under the state's Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program. Under the pilot program, patients suffering from one of dozens of qualifying conditions will be able to legally purchase up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana, or 70 grams, every two weeks.

"This is not open to the general public, but only those who specifically have registered with the state," Fontane said.

Earlier this year, owners Andy and Veronica Hunt and their limited liability company, Northshore Alternative Therapy, were awarded one of the three state licenses for dispensaries in Lake County. Andy Hunt is a retired Citigroup trader at the Chicago Board of Trade. His wife Veronica, the managing member of the LLC, is a homemaker who previously owned a small chain of restaurants and food trucks in the City of Chicago.

The closest medical marijuana dispensary to Elevele in Highland Park will be located at 151 Pfingsten Road, just south of Lake Cook Road in the Cook County portion of Deerfield. In June, the Deerfield Village Board approved a petition from The Greenhouse Group, which won the license for an area covering both New Trier and Northfield townships.

kberkowitz@pioneerlocal.com

Host: Tom Marks