Hatch Dispensary Celebrates Grand Opening In Wheeling

WHEELING, Ill. - Hatch dispensary is now open in Wheeling, providing recreational cannabis to residents of the area.

Wheeling trustees approved a special ordinance for the sale of cannabis in Dec. 2020, and construction on the dispensary began soon after that. Hatch is located at 1500 E. Lake Cook Rd. at the site of a former TGI Friday's restaurant that shut its doors last year.

Hatch describes itself as "a breakthrough cannabis experience," and that "our medical and recreational menus contain the highest quality cannabis in the state of Illinois." Unlike many of the state's other marijuana dispensaries, Hatch Wheeling is currently only selling recreational cannabis. However, as recreational cannabis in Illinois can be purchased by anyone 21 and over with a government-issued ID, those who use cannabis for medical needs can still shop.

The Wheeling dispensary is the second Hatch outlet to open in the state. Their first location is in Addison, Illinois, at 1433 W. Fullerton Ave., a large facility that sells both medical and recreational cannabis. Both dispensaries provide free parking on-site. While both facilities are cash-only operations, ATMs are available for use on the premises.

Hatch Wheeling is open seven days a week: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beyond in-store shopping, orders can also be placed online at the Hatch website.

The new location may not be Wheeling's only cannabis site for a long time. 1837 Craft Grow, LLC, which Journal & Topics described as a "cannabis cultivation center," received approval for their ordinance in Oct. 2020, but have yet to obtain their sales license.