By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—Rick Renfrew and his son, Evan, are shaking things up at Brandon’s only smoke shop. Green Mountain Smoke Shop is located on Route 7, at the intersection with Country Club Road, in the same shopping plaza as Black Cat Tattoo. Like many smoke shops, it’s unassuming from the outside. On the inside, however, it’s a riot of colorful smoking accessories: everything and anything that a smoker might need, except for the cannabis itself. They even have an ever-growing selection of snacks for the inevitable midnight munchies.
The Renfrews purchased the shop last fall, when its previous owners decided to pursue an opportunity in the food industry. Rick is a painter and power-washer, but wanted something he and his son could grow together.
“Winter is a quiet time in my work,” said Rick. “I can help Evan build up the business.”
“We’ll have a big ‘grand opening’ in the spring, when there’s warmer weather,” added Evan. “We’ll have cookouts…I make an amazing maple-barbecue smash burger with caramelized onions.”
In the meantime, the pair have been busy expanding the shop and diversifying the offerings. Epona Farms Dispensary used to rent space in the rear of the store but recently moved to downtown Brandon, giving the Renfrews an opportunity to enlarge their retail space. A number of refrigerated cases line one wall, filled with milk and eggs.
“The eggs are from our own chickens in Forest Dale,” noted Rick. “Cheaper than at the supermarket.”
Other local products include maple syrup and honey. When all the permits are in place, they’ll also offer beer.
But the focus is on smoking accessories: pipes, bongs, papers, one-hitters, dugouts…if you can smoke out of it, they’ve got it. Some of the paraphernalia is simple and utilitarian. But for those who like to partake with pizzazz, they also offer a range of higher-end artisanal glass accessories, some made by local artists, such as the wildly colored pipes by local glassblower Tall Tom.
If cannabis isn’t your jam, the store also carries a wide range of vapes.
And if you don’t smoke at all, you can always just stop in to pick up milk, eggs, and chips.
The store does not carry cannabis or cannabis products.
Green Mountain Smoke Shop is located at the intersection of Route 7 and Country Club Road in Brandon. Open Sunday through Wednesday from 10 to 5 and Thursday through Sunday 10 to 7.
