The Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Green 2 Go to the local business community with a ribbon cutting at the new dispensary, located at 2103 Vermillion Street in Hastings.

The business opened in November 2025 and is co-owned by David Benowitz and Steve Benowitz. General Manager Jen Silber helped guide the project through a new and evolving cannabis retail process in Minnesota, one that required months of research, planning, and communication with both city and state officials.

For the Benowitz family, the project is connected to a long history of doing business in Hastings. David Benowitz said the family has been part of the Hastings community for 50 years, going back to 1976 when Steve Benowitz opened the bar next door.

“This building, which the dispensary is in, has been multiple businesses throughout the course of time,” David Benowitz said.

In recent years, the building had mostly been used for storage. That changed when Silber brought forward the idea of entering the cannabis space as Minnesota’s laws changed.

“Jen came to us and said, ‘Hey, I think it might be a good idea to start thinking about this cannabis space, because it’s going to become a law in Minnesota, and I think we have an opportunity,’” David Benowitz said.

The group began looking at the cost of building out the space, along with the licensing and regulatory process. David Benowitz said they also partnered with a third party connected to licensing through the Office of Cannabis Management, which helped the business move toward opening.

Silber said cannabis retail was a field she had wanted to enter, and the timing felt right after legalization in Minnesota.

“Cannabis became legal and legalized in Minnesota, and it was just something that I always wanted to get into, and working with Steve and David has been great,” Silber said.

The process took time and persistence. Silber said she spent “countless hours” researching the industry, the rules, and the approval process. With the cannabis market still new in Minnesota, the work involved staying flexible as the state, city, and business owners all continued to learn.

“It’s ever changing and evolved,” Silber said.

She said the team spent a lot of time working with local and state officials and staying persistent through the process. Silber also praised the support the business received from the City of Hastings.

“They’ve been wonderful, honestly,” Silber said.

Steve Benowitz said he was open to the idea once it was brought to him. With the building sitting vacant, he saw an opportunity to put the space back into use.

“I’m usually open for a good idea, and my ears are always open,” Steve Benowitz said. “I listened, and I said, I think you may have something there.”

He said his long history in Hastings helped as the team moved forward. He contacted the mayor and city staff, and said the experience was a positive one.

“They were very helpful, and they’re very easy to work with,” Steve Benowitz said. “They answer all my questions. They were very honest.”

David Benowitz said the family’s approach was to work with people who already understood the cannabis industry instead of trying to figure out everything alone.

“Our philosophy has always been to work with industry experts and work with people that have already been successful in the space and don’t try to recreate the wheel,” David Benowitz said.

That included working with a third party from another state, attending cannabis conferences, meeting suppliers and growers, and continuing to learn after the store opened. David Benowitz said they also brought in a cannabis consultant to help with challenges related to the current market, supply chain, and retail operations.

He said the retail side of the dispensary is different from the bar and restaurant business that the family already knew.

“Setting up a retail store, and in terms of sales building is very different than operating a bar or restaurant, that’s the space that we’re primarily in,” David Benowitz said. “So, this was brand new to us.”

Customers visiting Green 2 Go will also notice differences compared with a typical retail shop. Silber said the business is more heavily regulated than a standard store. Customers must be at least 21 years old and should have their identification ready when they enter.

“It’s not like walking into Walmart, you have to be 21 plus,” Silber said.

She said the customer experience is built around one-on-one service, with staff helping each guest understand products and follow the rules set by the Office of Cannabis Management.

Steve Benowitz said that personal service is one of the most important parts of the business.

“What’s different is it’s more one on one when you walk into the store here,” he said. “Service and how you react to a customer is crucial in any business.”

He said staff members need to be friendly, knowledgeable, and ready to answer questions, especially in a business where customers may arrive with different levels of experience.

“You have to answer questions, you have to know what you’re talking about,” Steve Benowitz said.

Green 2 Go is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.