Hoffman Estates approves second marijuana shop, which potentially could be first to open

Hoffman Estates officials Monday approved a second recreational marijuana dispensary, which has a chance to open as the village's first.

The new approval was for Exxotic Strains LLC, which seeks to use the majority of a new multitenant commercial building at 1237 N. Barrington Road.

The dispensary would occupy 6,394 square feet of the building, leaving about 1,000 square feet for what would likely be only one further tenant, Hoffman Estates Director of Planning and Transportation Jennifer Horn said.

The sole owner of the company, Perry Mandera, previously owned The Herbal Care Center in Chicago - one of the original license holders among Illinois' medical marijuana dispensaries.

Receiving its state license in 2015 and opening nearly five years ago, The Herbal Care Center operated successfully and without disciplinary incidents during Mandera's ownership, according to a report reviewed by Hoffman Estates officials.

Back in December 2019, just before recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois, the village set a maximum of three recreational dispensaries in town.

The first special-use permit Hoffman Estates issued for a recreational dispensary was at 3 E. Golf Road, near the intersection of Roselle Road, Horn said. But the owners of that business did not obtain a required state license until after village approval of the site.

Exxotic Strains already has its state license, making it difficult to determine which dispensary might be in a better position to open first.

The new building in which Exxotic Strains will be housed is owned by Rick Heidner, who also owns Gold Rush Gaming and Ricky Rockets Fuel Centers.

Within the building, the dispensary intends to use 3,690 square feet for a showroom, office and reception area, while the remaining 2,704 square feet would be restricted to employee access.