{"id":2835,"date":"2021-09-09T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-09T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/CBMiZ2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1pZGRsZXRvd25wcmVzcy5jb20vYnVzaW5lc3MvYXJ0aWNsZS9NaWRkbGV0b3duLXMtU3VnYXItTGVhZi1DQkQtc2hvcC1zdXBwb3J0cy0xNjQ0NTYzMy5waHDSAQA"},"modified":"2021-09-09T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-09T07:00:00","slug":"middletowns-sugar-leaf-cbd-shop-supports-female-entrepreneurs-middletown-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thcinct.com\/?p=2835","title":{"rendered":"Middletown’s Sugar Leaf CBD shop supports female entrepreneurs – Middletown Press"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MIDDLETOWN \u2014 Kristin Souza had thought about opening a store focused on CBD products for a while, but it wasn\u2019t until she was laid off twice from her insurance job during the pandemic that she decided to take the plunge.<\/p>\n

At Sugar Leaf, 109 Court St., customers can purchase CBD products, learn about cannabis, purchase glass pipes and other gift shop items, such as soap and candles.<\/p>\n

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Every product is related to cannabis and many are from women-owned or operated businesses and vendors.<\/p>\n

Sugar Leaf <\/a>is a family venture \u2014 Souza\u2019s husband, a glass blower, creates products for a display case. Her father, who died in 2011, was a major inspiration for opening the venture.<\/p>\n

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Her emphasis on women was intentional, Souza said, since she believes women and mothers are especially uncomfortable talking about cannabis due to the stigma.<\/p>\n

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Souza believes people are now more open to talking about the topic since Connecticut legalized recreational cannabis in July.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a smoke shop,\u201d Souza said. \u201cSometimes, there\u2019s an aesthetic when you go to a smoke shop. You\u2019re not going to find tie-dye or Cheech & Chong posters. It\u2019s a feminine aesthetic.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sugar Leaf\u2019s walls are painted in earth tones and products are laid on wooden tables made by Souza\u2019s friend.<\/p>\n

While working on creating the business, her father was foremost on her mind. \u201cHe had Stage 4 lung cancer,\u201d Souza said. \u201cIt was terminal, and it was 2011, there was no CBD. I had him in my head as I was thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Once she began working on the business, everything happened fast. She knew she wanted to be in downtown Middletown, and by May, she signed a lease.<\/p>\n

Something that did not come together quickly was her inventory and fixtures for her store. Her supplies came in, but she\u2019s since learned from other business owners than she needs to order ahead. Now, Souza said, she\u2019s already thinking about holiday orders.<\/p>\n

Some of the fixtures she ordered have been delayed, Souza said. That\u2019s when she went to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore <\/a>in Cromwell, a retail store that accepts donations of new and gently used items that are sold at a reduced cost. It was a blessing, Souza said, which enabled her to create a unique store instead of using fixtures from big-box retailers.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe reception has been good, people are wandering in, and word of mouth has picked up,\u201d Souza said. Her top sellers so far are a CBD topical cream, CBD gummies and CBD drops.<\/p>\n