The CBD movement is alive and well in North Buffalo partially thanks to Vince Ciffa who has opened Clean Green Mart. The storefront is just off Hertel, in the 1368 Hertel Avenue building (corner of Saranac).
Ciffa told me that he grew up in the neighborhood, and was excited to be bringing something new and different to North Buffalo. It turns out that he left Buffalo for a good 20 years. He lived in Las Vegas during that time away as a loyal expat. Since his return, around ten years ago, he has been busy buying and managing some real estate properties, which, he mentioned, he purchased at just the right time.
Eventually, CBD (cannabidiol) came knocking on his door, in the form of a Vegas friend who was already in the business. His friend, who was a national West Coast rep for a CBD company, said that he was looking for an East Coast rep, and Ciffa liked the notion. It didn’t take long before Ciffa started to research his own product lines, and the wholesale spectrum of the market, which is what eventually led him to opening Clean Green Mart with his wife Jo Ann.
I asked Ciffa if he could tell me who his typical client was and he said,”My best sales rep is my mom. Her circle of friends loves the products. There really is no typical client, because CBD is so accepted these days by everyone. It’s taken by people who have aches and pains, as well as those who have anxiety. CBD affects everyone differently, which is one of the reasons that we opened a storefront. We consult with our customers in order to educate them. They tell us what is ailing them, and we offer CBD solutions. We tell them how much to take, to take the edge off. We also offer different ways of taking it, from tinctures and gummies to bath bombs and topical lotions. There are different products for different people. We have shampoo, and a facial moisturizer… the products are evolving at a rapid pace as more and more people are coming around to CBDs. There are also fewer consultations as time goes by, because a lot of customers know what they want before even walking into the shop.”
As Ciffa gets more savvy with the world of CBD, he’s expanding his business visions. He’s vesting with NY farmers who are growing hemp used for CBD, and he’s also expanding his white label business, which means that businesses can put their own labels on his products. “We’re selling to pharmacies and yoga studios,” Ciffa told me. “We’re always looking for new partnerships. Wholesale is a nice part of the business.”
Of course I had to ask Ciffa his thoughts on the pending legalization of recreational marijuana in NYS. He said that the possibility was not driving his business at all, and that he’s very happy just being in the CBD/hemp realm. But he also said that he’s in the wait and see mode, which means that he will cross the dispensary road when he comes to it (or it comes to him).
In the meantime, Ciffa is very content riding the CBD wave. He and Jo Ann (not pictured) are planning on hosting an official Grand Opening celebration on 4-20, starting at 10am (see Facebook event page). There will be live music, give aways, samples to try, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate the advancements made in the world of CBD/hemp manufacturing and sales, as they pertain to an ever growing Buffalo market.
Clean Green Mart | 1368 Hertel Avenue | Buffalo NY | 716-471-0020 | Facebook
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