By Taylor J. Hale
Reporter

STEVENS POINT — Glass jars filled with masterfully cultivated crops of green glistened on shelves as patrons perused a blooming selection of cannabidiol (CBD) items at Alleviate Wellness, located at 3507 Church St. The store first opened its doors on Dec. 15.

Their mission is simple yet noble, to educate the community on CBD as a whole.

“We want to put a new face to it,” said Mitch Craven, shop co-owner. “We wanted to do something different and offer education and higher-end brands in the area.”

Fully legal hemp flower at Alleviate Wellness. (Photo: Taylor Hale)

Craven owns and operates the establishment along with his wife, Erica, and long term friend, Brady Looker. Looker is a skilled glass blower from the Portage County area who also sells his hand blown pieces at the store.

“I’ve been blowing glass for around six years,” Looker said. “But I have been interested in the hemp movement for a long time.”

The group also recently obtained a processing license. Licensing allows them to buy their product in bulk and break it down into smaller amounts on site. All of the CBD related items are now legal under the 2018 Farm Bill, which allows for the sale of CBD products with a THC content of under 0.3 percent. CBD comes from the hemp plant, which closely resembles the genetic makeup of illegal cannabis.

“It’s all still very new in the area,” Craven said. “People come in with a lot of questions. I try to tell them about CBD and inform them, rather than just sell them a product.”

Alleviate’s owners feel that CBD can help with issues such as depression, anxiety and much more, giving users an alternative to prescription pharmaceuticals. They wanted to curate a mature and friendly atmosphere. The environment is “something my mother would be comfortable shopping in,” Craven said.

Supplies at Alleviate Wellness. (Photo: Taylor Hale)

Customers can purchase everything from tinctures to dog treats from the shop, all featuring CBD as an active ingredient. Craven sees the power of the hemp plant as a vital resource for the community.

“We have a lot of people coming in and truly getting help,” he said. “We just want to make a change and educate.”

Many of the supplies come from Wisconsin businesses. M & P Cultivation and other companies focus on cultivating and extracting hemp products in the state. Craven hopes to expand his selection as time continues.

“We would like to grow and supply as much local product as possible,” he said.

Alleviate is having its Grand Opening event on Jan. 26. Free giveaways and educational seminars will take place throughout the day starting at 10 a.m. The team is excited for the public to join them for the celebration. Alleviate staff believes city occupants will keep an open mind about the newly found medicinal properties of the hemp plant as they spread the message of its uses. They encourage inquisitive locals to stop by the shop and survey their impressive selection of items.

For more info on Alleviate and future events visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Alleviate-Wellness-1442629409323085/.