Michael Wilson

Not all shops will be riding high if Missouri legalizes recreational cannabis, but even imperfect expansion ‘far worth the effort,’ advocates say

Legalizing recreational marijuana would have potent outcomes across the state if Missouri voters approve a constitutional amendment Nov. 8, but some cannabis advocates and small business owners say not all strains of success will be equal. On one hand, Missouri’s Amendment 3 would expunge the criminal records of people with past non-violent marijuana charges and…

Ronald Rice, Franklin's Stash House

Crafted within hip hop culture, Black-owned KC cannabis brand hopes to reshape a flowering industry

It isn’t enough to be first, Ronald Rice said, announcing Franklin’s Stash House’s entry into Greenlight stores — a move that sees the Kansas City cannabis company become the first Black-owned brand sold at a dispensary in the state. “While this deal represents a big milestone in the evolution of Missouri’s cannabis industry, the legacy of…

Franklin’s Stash House rolls MO cannabis opportunity into KC-made hemp blunts

The timing is perfect for a cross-cultural cannabis company, Michael Wilson said Tuesday, announcing the 4/20 launch of Franklin’s Stash House, a hemp blunt maker headquartered near the Crossroads. “It’s a lifestyle brand that represents a segment of the culture that doesn’t get enough attention, trying to capture our creative energy in a cool form…

Rob Wilson and Michael Wilson, A-10

Budding family business: Serial cannabis entrepreneur pioneers microwave drying tech with his father

In Michael Wilson’s childhood, he recalled, the founder of multiple cannabis-related startups got into fights at school — then suspended — resulting in numerous car rides with his father as the elder Wilson ventured on sales trips. “From age 7 or 8, I had an education on how to do business, interact with people and…

Illustration by Elyssa Bezner

Shop small: Five clicks to KC-made creations you’ll likely only find online (not sold in stores)

Editor’s note: Startland News searched the web to find some of Kansas City’s rising products — sold largely online — as part of the newsroom’s five-part holiday gift guide that identifies locally made goods and supports the call to shop small. Click here to read the multi-day gift guide as it develops. When it comes to holiday…