The mission of Mavuno of Ohio is simple: to improve lives through the goodness of cannabis. However, the journey of this first black, female-owned dispensary in the state has been quite complex. Despite all the challenges and hurdles they’ve had to overcome, Ariane Kirkpatrick and her sister, Amonica Davis, are now prepared to reap the “harvest” as their second location, on Detroit Ave. in Cleveland’s Gordon Square Arts District, is set to open on St. Patrick’s Day next week. The first location is in Athens, Ohio.

As the sisters have broken through barriers, blazed trails and paved the way for a diverse and inclusive workforce and supply chain in the cannabis industry, they’re calling their grand opening “The Luck of The Kirkpatricks.”

“Our flagship Cleveland location is an extension of our family’s identity and life experiences,” said Kirkpatrick who recalls how as a child growing up on the east side of Cleveland on 100th Street off Cedar Avenue, their mother, a schoolteacher, exposed them to the best of what the city had to offer.

“We made frequent visits to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Karamu House, Playhouse Square, Terminal Tower during Christmas to view the imaginative street-side window dressings in the Higbee Building, …”

She also recalled their father, Art Kirkpatrick, a respected car salesman, Motown artist and cannabis connoisseur being arrested for growing three plants in their backyard when she was a little girl. Overall, their parents taught them to believe in the power of education to inform, inspire and impact lives. And, with all their business ventures, that’s exactly what they aim to do.

So, it is their love of Cleveland and life experiences that sets culture at Mavuno, which means “first fruits” in Swahili.

“It’s really an extension of who we are as a family,” said Kirkpatrick.

Jalen Davis and Jazmine Couch

And Mavuno is truly a family affair as Davis’s son, Jalen, is the general manager while Kirkpatrick’s daughter Jazmine Couch, managing partner of The Jabali Development — Mavuno’s parent company — supports the operations as well.

“This space is very much aligned with where we come from, how we’ve lived and what we’ve experienced,” Kirkpatrick continued.

That becomes evident the moment a visitor steps foot through the front door.

Upon entering, from Detroit Avenue, vibrant art is most visible. The family designed the space to serve as a gallery, supporting local artists, in addition to a pop-up shop for small business owners who are seeking to test the market.

“We both love art,” said Davis. “Ariane is an art collector, and we both love music.”

A testament to the sisters’ deep-rooted love of music is a framed photograph of their father’s group, “The Quails”, in addition to a record player with vinyls on display within the retail area.

“We are bringing our authentic selves to this space,” she continued.

When asked why they chose this community, Davis said, “We really wanted to be in the Gordon Square Arts District because of the diversity, the culture, the theater, the vibrant businesses.”

Additionally, this location is very special to the sisters, as they built it themselves.

“It’s our desire, our blood, sweat and tears,” said Kirkpatrick with an undertone that spoke to their prior venture in cannabis, Harvest of OH, which made her the only female and the only African American-owned vertically integrated cannabis business in the state, meaning they had the ability to cultivate, process and dispense product. Resolution from ongoing litigation led to the Mavuno rebrand.

“We opened this store with our last pennies,” Kirkpatrick added.

For cannabis connoisseurs and even the curious, Mavuno customers can look forward to exclusive product offerings including a wide selection of flower, concentrates, vapes, edibles, tinctures and topicals from Ohio’s top processors and cultivators.

“Every single one of our vendors, we’ve known them through the struggle. We called and they came,” said Kirkpatrick.

Jared Rinehart of Mainstreet Health processing lab, is one. He drove up from Dayton to help the sisters celebrate their soft opening, March 3rd, and is working to place product in this Cleveland location within the next few weeks.

“There are aspects of this industry that will eat you alive,” said Rinehart, who has known the sisters for several years. “Here, with this group, they’ve always been about family, and always been authentic. I’m here to support the family. I support the people I know are good people. They are big on family and big on education.”

Davis said they know cannabis is not for everyone. “But still, people are curious so we are committed to culture, community, and education. We are developing a brand that shares knowledge.”

That shared knowledge is centered in both responsible consumption and business opportunity.

“As the stigma is changing, there is space for more people,” Davis continued. “We don’t see competition. We see win-win.”

Rinehart said they are an inspiration for a lot of reasons.

“They’ve maintained one dispensary, then to open another speaks volumes to their character. Sometimes, an industry like this lacks character," he said.

Mavuno plans to offer daily savings, special promotions and a loyalty reward program with welcoming, efficient, and informative personalized service. Convenient online ordering and in-store pickup is also available. Dispensary hours are 9a to 9p. Monday through Saturday and 10a to 7p on Sunday. A third store in South Euclid is scheduled to open later this year.

“Join us on our journey as we continue to curate and shape our culture, cultivate connections in our community, and provide cannabis education to better serve our patients and customers,” said Davis.

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