This month’s featured smoke shop is The Daily Dose in Granada Hills, California. Earlier this week we had the opportunity to interview Mike Korlin, who owns and operates the day-to-day segments in-store and online. Get to know Mike and learn more about The Daily Dose in this exclusive Heady Pages interview.
The Daily Dose was founded by Mike back in 2012, although until 2022 the shop was known as Ark Smoke Shop. He decided to get involved in the smoke shop world after cannabis was legalized in California in hopes of ensuring customers had friendly, knowledgeable and personable customer service experiences. He wanted to create a comfortable and education-focused shop where people could learn hands-on about the many different products and options for consuming cannabis and hemp-based medicines.
When the shop first started, Mike had a vision that he carefully brought to fruition. When he first opened his doors, he was mainly offering tobacco products and accessories, and had plenty of display cases but couldn’t afford to fill them up. But he always knew that one day, he would — and he did just that. These days, even post-pandemic, Mike has had a strong attitude and has overcome many challenges both within the industry and in daily business.
The Daily Dose, Granada Hills CA
Today his shop offers a warm and welcoming environment. He and his staff offer a friendly and comforting approach to educating their customers on the types of products they might enjoy and which might help them with their specific needs. In fact, even though you can still find smoke shop staples at The Daily Dose, you’ll find that they offer more products and supplements that can be used therapeutically.
Back in 2014, The Daily Dose was one of the only smoke shops in town where you could find CBD and other cannabinoids. Now you can find many different cannabinoids and supplements on the shelves, including supplements for pain anxiety, sleep, deperssion and more. You can also find a plethora of products like vape cartridges, edibles, tinctures, and topicals made from delta-8 THC, THC-O, HHC, CBN, CBG, and more.
“Since 2014, years have passed and my catalog became less smoke shop related. It transformed into health and wellness products for people who needed an alternative to medications. The cannabis portion and all the accessories, vapes etc remained and grew in size but all the tobacco-related stuff was removed over time,” Mike said.
The Daily Dose, Granada Hills CA
With a wellness-focused approach, you can find all of your typical smoke shop necessities, including glass, vapes, e-rigs, and accessories. You can also find hemp-derived THC and cannabinoids and tons of other supplements and products made sustainably from hemp extracts. If you’re looking for specific brands, you’ll love seeing trusted names like Herba Essentia, Nutra Mind, Leaf Organix, and Root Organix on the shelves.
All of this has drawn the attention of customers in Granada Hills and the surrounding areas. Customers leave reviews that say how friendly and accommodating and patient the staff are and how the experience has given them a different perspective on what a smoke shop experience should look like.
“I have met thousands of people over the years within this tiny community of Granada Hills, CA and from surrounding cities as well as globally from other countries. I want to believe my contribution to our town and to the many others I’ve met has been true unconditional friendship. I’m here and will always be here to educate, guide and assist in helping those in need whether it’s anxiety or depression or chronic pain,” Mike said.
The Daily Dose is located at 17609 Chatsworth Street in Granada Hills, CA 91344. However, no matter where you are, you can shop The Daily Dose online at www.arksmokeshop.com. If you choose to shop online, use promo code “DAILY10” to save 10% on an item, “DAILY15” to save 15% on 2 items, or “DAILY20” to save 20% on 3 items.
“I’m so blessed and so very grateful, though the industry has changed, many of the people I’ve met always return even if it’s been years since their last visit. I’m beyond grateful every time I run into someone who moved out of state and they walk through my doors once again.”
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ORIGINAL INTERVIEW
Q: What is the name of your smoke shop?
The Daily Dose
Q: When did your shop first open?
2012
Q. What interested you in the smoke shop industry?
I had been a consumer of cannabis going back to 2001, as legalization and medicinal use became a reality here in California I searched for ways to participate in this emerging industry. I found at that time the smoke shop world was lacking in various areas such as customer service, personable experiences and education for new or existing consumers.
I felt I could fill that void adequately with over 10 years experience in customer service, product development sourcing and being a full time stoner gave me the tools to add value to the industry that had never been seen before.
Q. Where is your shop located? Do you have multiple locations?
My shop is located in Southern California – the address is:
The Daily Dose
17609 Chatsworth Street
Granada Hills, CA 91344
818-363-8600
[email protected]
I have just one location, for me it was already tough managing one location and all of the related or ancillary segments of the daily operations. So I kept it at just one spot.
Q. How would you describe your shop’s personality/vibe?
It’s a chill, welcoming vibe. A place you come to for education, information and comfort. Upon entering the wonderful smells of cannabis, incense and vape juice invite you deeper inside, the sweet aromas tickle the brain and stimulate the senses.
People have come here for years far and wide to discover the many comforts I offer.
Q. What makes your shop unique?
The one thing at the top of the list is customer experience, the reviews speak for themselves and I am blessed to have had thousands of interactions with so many good people. The next on the list would be the products I’ve chosen to carry. In 2014-2015 I was one of the first to welcome CBD into the shop when nobody knew it existed or what it was.
That opened the door for me, a door of discovery where I explored all kinds of supplements, I had seen first hand what cannabis did for people who used it medically. Then I witnessed the power of cannabinoids like CBD so I was convinced there had to be more plant based solutions for many of the illnesses we suffer today.
Since then years have passed and my catalog became less smoke shop related. It transformed into health and wellness products for people who needed an alternative to medications. The cannabis portion and all the accessories, vapes etc remained and grew in size but all the tobacco related stuff was removed over time.
Q. What challenges have you overcome to get to where you are today?
Believe it or not there are too many to count, everyday we as small business owners are dealing with a mini crisis of sorts somewhere within our overall operations, it’s DAILY.
Most importantly the biggest challenge that I can tell you today, was my thinking and or my attitude, that in itself governs the day. At times it is so frightening when I consider the likelihood of survival post pandemic, I experienced these feelings in the beginning of my journey when I had no inventory and just showcases, zero money to fill them up but believed strongly that I would somehow.
Those feelings though they are present every day it’s my thinking or attitude that overrides and pushes me to be productive and not idol.
Q. What products do you sell?
I have everything you would typically find in a headshop, flower vapes, concentrate vapes, enails, e-rigs, bongs branded and unbranded, accessories, replacement parts, wraps, papers, cones etc. Then we’ve got the Hemp THC segments, flower, prerolls, carts, edibles, disposables and concentrates.
Delta 8 THC
HHC
THC-O
THC-P
Delta 8, 9 10 Blends
Delta 9
and more
Then we’ve got the herbal supplement segment, Kratom of all variations, CBD, CBN, CBG, Kava, Akuamma, Nootropics and more for stress relief, anxiety relief, pain relief, joint and muscle, sleep aid, relaxation and depression. All supplements are naturally derived from plant extract
Q. What are your most in-demand products?
Right now there is a great deal of suffering in our country and there has been a growing interest in supplements for pain, anxiety, stress and depression. These are areas I specialize in when it comes to supplements.
Q. Name a few of your household brands.
Herba Essentia, Nutra Mind, Leaf Organix, Root Organix
Q. What are your hopes for the shop’s future?
I would like to continue developing effective and safe herbal supplements for everyday life. Improving the quality of life for all people through empowering education, insight and compassion. I’d like to continue growing my podcast which aims to inform and educate people interested in personal health mind, body and spirit.
Q. How does your shop play a part in the community?
I have met thousands of people over the years within this tiny community of Granada Hills, CA and from surrounding cities as well as globally from other countries. I want to believe my contribution to our town and to the many others I’ve met has been true unconditional friendship, I’m here and will always be here to educate, guide and assist in helping those in need whether it’s anxiety or depression or chronic pain.
Q. Tell us about your customer base. Has your clientele changed as the industry has evolved?
I’m so blessed and so very grateful, though the industry has changed many of the people I’ve met always return even if it’s been years since their last visit. I’m beyond grateful every time I run into someone who moved out of state and they walk through my doors once again. The industry changed but the people though they have many options for retailers they still think of me.
Q. What can people expect when they stop into your shop?
They can expect a welcoming “hello” or “hi” “how are you”. I’m never pushy, will always be respectful long as you are and usually patiently wait for your questions. A visit in my shop typically can take 20 to 30 mins depending on what you are looking for and the questions you may have had.
Q. Do you have any special promotions or customer incentive programs for your customers?
Yes absolutely, if your shopping on my site arksmokeshop.com you can take advantage of the coupon codes, there 3 you can use at checkout
- DAILY10 – saves you 10% on 1 item
- DAILY15 – saves you 15% on 2 items
- DAILY20 – saves you 20% on 3 items
In-store there isn’t much wiggle room to do promotions but come and talk to me I’m sure we can work something out.
Q. What do you hope for the future of this community/culture?
I’d like to see more acceptance like we have over the years but nationally, would like to see policy makers open up doors for regular mom and pop individuals to enter the space. As many know cannabis here in California was ground up, many regular people growing bud to sell to the dispensary were making a decent living.
Recent recreational laws pushed all of them out and big business came in. It’s sad because this is what many of us from the 90’s talked about the extreme commercialization of cannabis would be bad for everyone.
Would like to see things within the cannabis community become more community-like again, not just big business.
