Atlanta-based Surterra Wellness, a vertically-integrated company that cultivates, processes and dispenses medical cannabis products throughout Florida, is building out a storefront at 537 Park Street in Jacksonville’s burgeoning Brooklyn neighborhood. According to building permits the company is investing more than $200,000 to retrofit a retail space previously occupied by The Block State Supply, which relocated to the Springfield neighborhood in late 2017.
Renovations to the exterior façade at 537 Park Street are complete, and interior construction is now underway for Surterra Wellness’ new retail facility. Image: Moderncities.com
The building was previously occupied by The Block Skate Supply and was adorned by this colourful mural by ??Nicole Holderbaum. The mural has since been taken down. Image: The Block Skate Supply.
When open later this year, the Brooklyn retail facility will be Jacksonville’s third medical marijuana treatment center following openings of facilities by both Trulieve and Knox Medical. Surterra holds one of six licenses in Florida’s low-THC medical cannabis program and also operates the largest cannabis greenhouse in the state.
The company was founded by Jake Bergmann. Bergmann operates a successful hedge fund called Valkyrie Capital, which focuses on insurance and medical products. Medicinal cannabis seemed like a natural fit for an investor active in the medical sector. “We felt that in the states where it was legal, everyone had overlooked the true medical benefits of cannabis production,” he said. “We saw demand for conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and cancer that no-one was addressing in a therapeutic fashion.”
A look inside a Surterra Wellness medical marijuana treatment center in Tampa. Image: Surterra Wellness
The company currently operates eight dispensaries throughout Florida and can offer home delivery of its products throughout the state. Surterra’s facilities are staffed with wellness experts who educate consumers on navigating Florida’s Medical Marijuana laws, physician referrals and professional guidance on a wide array of cannabis products. Typical storefronts offer a variety of product lines including lotions, sprays, oils and vaporizer pens, each providing targeted effects tailored to individual medical conditions. Surterra’s treatment centers feature modern, private consultation rooms and bright, open-seating ‘kitchen’ areas.
The company has raised over $15 million in private equity to fuel its rapid statewide expansion efforts. In 2016 Surterra hired Wesley Reynolds, a former senior executive with Coca-Cola, as its president. “Surterra Wellness has an incredible opportunity to bring life-changing wellness solutions to people across the great state of Florida,” Wesley said. “I am excited to use my experience with one of the most recognizable brands in the world to help Surterra become the most trusted cannabis brand in Florida.”
Cover Image: figure3 Interior Design