By Ryan Yuenger
ryany@wsjm.com
Nobody’s home? Not anymore.
After years of planning, the cannabis dispensary owned by former NBA star and Benton Harbor native Wilson Chandler is open for business. Nobody’s Home, 90 W. Main Street, Benton Harbor, put the finishing touches on the façade and hung a “now open” banner on Monday.
Last September, the store hosted Nobody’s Home Music Festival to celebrate its opening with national acts like Rick Ross and G Herbo.
“It’s a bit overdue,” said Nobody’s Home store manager José Maltos, adding the company is looking to set itself apart from the local competition. “We’re not like everybody else. We are cannabis users and consumers of this product. We have a passion for it, so we want to be able to offer just a little but more than what everyone else is offering – experience, education and top-quality products.”
Maltos said Nobody’s Home is not a cultivator of the product like NOBO – which sits adjacent to Nobody’s Home – so it will be able to focus on working with vendors to ensure the best quality products.
“We’re working with companies that you don’t see too far out here – with products you don’t see in a store that’s vertically integrated,” he said. “Quality is definitely our number one thing. By keeping a low vendor list, it allows us to guarantee we’re not just pumping out products we produce ourselves to where we feel obligated we have to sell to make a profit.”
Nobody’s Home also will be mindful of people who are “balling on a budget,” Maltos said. Similarly, the name “Nobody’s Home” refers to the days when friends would get together at someone’s house where nobody was home.
“Like a place you can go where you have a little bit of privacy,” Maltos said. “Just a good spot to be.”
According to its website, Nobody’s Home is also looking to provide jobs and opportunities to the Benton Harbor community, especially for people of color that are often overlooked or not permitted to participate in the industry. It also is looking to embody the values, aspirations and interests of its customers.”
“We’re here to stay,” Maltos said. “We’re here to build a brand.”
For now, the store is open seven days a week from noon to 8 p.m., with a grand opening ceremony planned for fall. For more information, visit nobodyshome.com.
