Marijuana shop, separate bakery to fill former Twin Peaks restaurant building in Wheeling

Wheeling's second cannabis dispensary could open in December, a representative said this week.

The village board on Monday approved a special use permit for the facility, which will be called OKAY Cannabis Experience and operate at 781 N. Milwaukee Ave.

A separately run bakery also will operate in the nearly 11,900-square-foot building, which last was occupied by a Twin Peaks restaurant that closed in 2019.

The roughly 1.6-acre property is near the Westin Chicago North Shore hotel, just south of Lake-Cook Road.

A limited liability company called CESAM and a company called the Fifty/50 Group are behind the proposal, village documents show.

The bakery will be a West Town Bakery. Four operate in Chicago; this will be the first suburban location.

Under state law, the bakery will not be able to sell cannabis-infused products. Additionally, no on-site cannabis consumption will be allowed.

The building will have a single entry and lobby that will be used for both businesses. Responding to a question from Trustee Dave Vogel, Fifty/50 Group president and co-founder Scott Weiner said no unaccompanied minors will be allowed inside either business.

Additionally, state-mandated ID checks and security efforts will keep people under 21 out of the dispensary, Weiner said.

Building renovations could begin next month, Weiner said.

Wheeling's first pot shop, Hatch, opened last year at 1500 E. Lake-Cook Road, about 2 miles from the OKAY Cannabis Experience site. Trustee Joe Vito asked Weiner if he's concerned about his operation's proximity to Hatch or an oversaturated local market -- but Weiner isn't.

"I think that there's a lot of demand for the services at this time," he said. "Ask me in a year."