CHICAGO and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RISE Dispensaries, a rapidly growing cannabis retail chain owned by Green Thumb Industries Inc. (“Green Thumb” or the “Company”) (CSE: GTII) (OTCQX: GTBIF), today announced that it will open two RISE Dispensaries in Florida, with one located in Tampa and the other located in Crystal River, on December 1. These store openings bring the Company’s retail footprint to 13 in Florida and 89 nationwide. RISE Dispensary Tampa will host a grand opening celebration on December 16, where profits from the day will be donated to Tu Canna Foundation. RISE Dispensary Crystal River will host a grand opening celebration on December 15, with profits benefitting The Bridge 4 Veterans.

“We are extremely excited to deepen our presence on the west coast of Florida with two new RISE Dispensaries in Tampa and Crystal River,” said Green Thumb President Anthony Georgiadis. “As with previous store openings, we continue our tradition of giving back to the community, and we look forward to supporting two incredible local non-profit partners, Tu Canna Foundation and The Bridge 4 Veterans.”

Tampa-based Tu Canna Foundation promotes wellness advocacy and holistic education in their community, with a strong focus on mental health. Through veteran retreats, expungement clinics, non-profit partnerships, local outreach opportunities, food banks, legal services and more, Tu Canna Foundation improves the lives of others both mentally and physically.

“At Tu Canna Foundation, we believe that even a single action can make all the difference,” said Sol Minardi, Founder of Tu Canna. “We work to make a positive change in the Tampa community through collective action centered on hope and compassion. In our shared commitment to health and well-being, our partnership with RISE Tampa will allow us to expand our 2024 efforts to include more veterans retreats and expungement clinics.”

The Bridge 4 Veterans provides transitional housing for veterans as they work towards securing permanent housing. The organization welcomes veterans and offers resources, such as VA HUD-VASH programs, that help them find and maintain affordable housing in their community. The Bridge 4 Veterans is a free-of-charge organization that runs entirely on private donations, for both financial support and food. 

“We thank the team at RISE Crystal River for reaching out and supporting The Bridge 4 Veterans on their opening day,” said Greg Pelletier, President of The Bridge 4 Veterans. “Donations like these keep our shelter running, allowing us to be a pathway to veterans in securing safe, affordable places to live. With the help of RISE, we will be able to continue our mission and further our reach.”

Green Thumb joined the Florida community in 2018 and operates two production facilities in Ocala and Homestead where the Company produces its branded products. Green Thumb’s cultivation and manufacturing practices reflect the highest quality standards to ensure all its products offer a true-to-plant, consistent experience. The Company’s retail brand, RISE Dispensaries, is committed to expanding access to well-being through cannabis and making a positive impact on the communities it serves. In addition to RISE Tampa and Crystal River, there are 11 other RISE Dispensaries in Florida, including locations in Bonita Springs, Brandon, Clearwater, Deerfield Beach, Fruitland Park, Hallandale Beach, Kendall, Oviedo, Pinellas Park, Sun City Center and West Palm Beach, with delivery services available at each location. All RISE Dispensaries in Florida offer products from Green Thumb’s award-winning family of brands, including RYTHM premium flower and full spectrum vapes, Dogwalkers pre-rolls, Good Green flower, and &Shine flower, pre-rolls, vapes and chews.

RISE Tampa is located at 7218 E. Hillsborough Ave in Tampa, FL and RISE Crystal River is located at 1208 NE 5th St in Crystal River, FL. Both locations will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Each will offer a range of high-quality THC and CBD products, perfect for beginners and experts alike. 

For information on how to become a medical cannabis patient, email RISEmed@gtigrows.com. For more information on RISE Dispensaries' locations, product offerings or other services, visit www.risecannabis.com.

About RISE Dispensaries
RISE Dispensaries, a fast-growing national cannabis retailer founded under Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries, promotes social conscience, community impact and well-being through the power of cannabis. Since opening its doors in 2015, RISE has grown its national footprint to 89 retail locations across 14 U.S. markets and serves millions of patients and customers each year. RISE Dispensaries lead innovative access to cannabis by offering home delivery, virtual pharmacist consultations, mobile pre-ordering and the first consumption lounge east of the Mississippi at RISE Mundelein, Illinois (services vary by market). RISE locations offer a wide variety of products and award-winning brands including &Shine, Beboe, Dogwalkers, Doctor Solomon’s, Good Green, incredibles and RYTHM, produced by owner Green Thumb Industries. RISE Rewards members enjoy insider perks, points and first access to products and merchandise. More information is available at www.risecannabis.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains statements which may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words “may,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “will,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” or similar expressions and include information regarding the expected growth of the Company. The forward-looking information in this news release is based upon the expectations of future events which management believes to be reasonable. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Green Thumb does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this news release is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied. When considering these forward-looking statements, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in Green Thumb’s public filings with the applicable securities regulatory authorities, including with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on its website at www.sec.gov and with Canada’s SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, as well as on Green Thumb’s website at https://investors.gtigrows.com, including in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Investor Contact:
Andy Grossman
EVP, Capital Markets & Investor Relations
InvestorRelations@gtigrows.com
310-622-8257

Media Contact:
MATTIO Communications
GTI@mattio.com