Store Planning for Cannabis MSOs: Key Strategies for Successful Brand Rollouts
Expanding a cannabis brand across multiple locations presents unique challenges, especially when it comes to maintaining a consistent brand identity and customer experience. For MSOs, the key to a successful brand rollout lies in thoughtful store planning that balances design and operational efficiency—all while staying compliant with regulations. With the right approach and a knowledgeable team, you can navigate these complexities with confidence, ensuring each retail space not only reflects your brand’s vision but also supports your long-term success.
Maintaining a Consistent Brand Identity in Multi-Store Cannabis Retail
For cannabis retailers, maintaining a cohesive brand identity across stores is key to building consumer trust and loyalty. Consistent store layouts, materials, and lighting feel familiar and make customers comfortable, no matter which store they visit.
“One of the biggest challenges for MSOs is creating a consistent store design package—an organized collection of all the standard elements for each location, including floor plans, colors, finishes, fixtures, and equipment,” said Virginia Maggiore, Principal of RDC. “Having these standards streamlines decision-making during store rollouts, helping to reduce costs and accelerate time to market.”
Additionally, inconsistencies between dispensaries can confuse customers and undermine their product confidence, making standardization crucial for cannabis retail success. A consistent brand experience across all locations ensures customers know what to expect, fostering trust and loyalty.
“Consistency builds trust with your consumer base. When they feel like your brand is stable and reliable, they’re more likely to become repeat customers,” said Virginia Maggiore. “But, if your stores aren’t consistent, customers could get confused and feel uncertain about what to trust—even when it comes to the products you offer.”
Prioritizing a Memorable Customer Experience and Smooth Operational Flow
To truly stand out, multi-store cannabis retailers should focus on crafting a customer experience that goes beyond just consistency. It’s about creating moments that engage and connect with customers, making each visit feel unique yet comfortably familiar. By focusing on key touchpoints throughout the customer journey, dispensaries can ensure that every visit reinforces the brand and leaves a lasting impression.
“From check-in to the in-store shopping experience, customer touchpoints are critical in shaping their perception of your store,” said Virginia Maggiore. “By investing in these areas, you curate a welcoming, positive experience across all locations—creating an experience that’s on brand with the caliber of products available for purchase.”
Equally important as a consistent customer experience is operational flow. A well-designed back-of-house ensures that the entire team can operate efficiently, no matter where they are. From security placement to storage and processing, standardization is key to minimizing confusion and optimizing operations.
“Just like customer-facing areas, the back-of-house should be consistent across locations,” said Virginia Maggiore. “Changing the operational flow from location to location only creates more challenges for both your management team and staff working in multiple stores.”
Scalable Design Strategies for Cannabis MSOs
Expanding into new states presents additional challenges for dispensaries, particularly when it comes to balancing a cohesive brand identity with the specific requirements of each market. During multi-state expansions, in-house teams are often stretched thin, needing to navigate different state-specific building codes, operational requirements, and even promotional restrictions. To ensure scalability, it’s essential to start by identifying the core elements of the brand, creating a foundation for consistency, regardless of state.
“It all starts with thorough research into state-specific requirements and local codes to identify where the standardized package may need adjustment,” said Virginia Maggiore. “This upfront preparation ensures compliance and helps to avoid unexpected expenses or delays during the build out. To make store design packages scalable, we can develop flexible options, such as different store layouts for varying space sizes or elements like lobbies, which are sometimes required by regulations.”
As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, MSOs should also be mindful of emerging trends that could shape the future of cannabis retail design. With more states legalizing adult-use cannabis, many are also considering consumption lounges and spaces for customers to engage in activities beyond shopping. Designing stores with this flexibility in mind can help future-proof cannabis retail operations for MSOs.
“When planning your stores, consider adjacent spaces for future expansion,” said Virginia Maggiore. “A strong brand goes beyond just selling products. It’s about creating destinations where people want to stay—whether for consumption, entertainment, or relaxation—enhancing their overall experience.”
How Can RDC Help?
RDC’s team of expert architects and designers have worked extensively with retailers and lounges in the cannabis industry. Our team works closely with owners to design successful and compliant storefronts with impactful branding, thoughtful merchandising, and scalable space planning. Whether you’re looking to design your brand from scratch or redesign an existing dispensary brand, we’re ready to get started on your cannabis project!
