Running 10 Dispensaries Is Harder Than You Think

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Running a dispensary is more than selling cannabis. Tom Howard talks with Omar Delgado, Ivy Hall's vice president of retail, about the work behind a 10-store Illinois operation: buying power, customer loyalty, staff experience, local relationships and competing as prices change.

They compare loyalty programs, talk about what brings customers back, and explain why permission to stay open longer doesn't mean those hours make business sense. They also cover medical access, operating rules and the tax questions that are still unanswered.

Recorded October 20, 2026. The legal and tax discussion reflects the law as of that date. Tom's Schedule III / 280E supply-chain point is his analysis, not a settled tax result.

Guest: Omar Delgado, VP of Retail, Ivy Hall
CLN: https://cannabislegalizationnews.com/

CHAPTERS
00:00 Running a dispensary is a business
00:29 Meet Omar Delgado
01:33 How Ivy Hall reached ten stores
03:15 How the loyalty program works
04:08 The work behind an off-site event
07:26 Employee and customer experience
08:55 Community outreach and ROI
12:51 Growth within a ten-store cap
13:50 Dual licenses and local approval
17:15 Tom's unanswered Schedule III tax question
18:53 Medical patients and access
20:32 Medical-patient priority
21:30 Illinois' November 12 hemp change
23:15 Drive-through and curbside plans
24:27 Deciding operating hours
27:09 Retail with a culture
28:23 Events, mail and digital marketing
30:26 Brand and customer education
31:33 The capital behind ten stores
32:15 Employee benefits and appreciation
34:20 Tom's view on limited markets
35:43 Taxes, prices and value
37:11 Developing the next leaders
38:56 Helping other operators

Disclosure: Tom Howard has an ownership interest in Miggy's Shop, LLC, which operates Pekin's Local Dispensary & Supply. This is an operator conversation and general educational commentary, not legal or tax advice.

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