Glass has entered the tobacco realm.
The marijuana accessory was cited as having potential by many retailers—mostly tobacco-shop operators, with some also selling gasoline or convenience goods—at January’s Tobacco Plus Expo in Las Vegas.
Terry Gallagher, president of Smoker Friendly, Boulder, Colo., said the investment can be small. About 70% of the glass pipes he sells retail for less than $10, while 90% sell for less than $20. It’s also a big margin item, with a $10 glass pipe costing a retailer about $2.
“As a retailer, you don’t need to buy the expensive pieces,” Gallagher said. “For the customers, it’s all about break and replace.”
On the high end, profits are also lucrative, with the small percent of glass he sells for more than $30 apiece accounting for 22% of his gross profit.
Darren Collett, president of Seymour, Ind.-based Collett Enterprises Inc. and a retailer panelist at the show, said he was reluctant at first to sell accessories associated with marijuana. But he’s been selling glass for about a year. “It wasn’t until I saw how socially acceptable cannabis has become,” he said.
90%
Amount of glass pipes Smoker Friendly sells that retail for less than $20
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