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The Old City is getting a new hemp retail store

The flagship store will be the company's fifth operation in Knoxville.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A new hemp retail store is opening up in the Old City.

Blühen Botanicals announced Monday a multi-million dollar investment from global cannabis company, SOL Global Investments Corp.

The flagship store will be the company's fifth operation in Knoxville. 

Blühen Botanicals is a Tennessee-based hemp cannabidiol (CBD) company.

SOL Global’s investment enables Blühen Botanicals to exponentially scale its existing high-throughput capabilities while maintaining its commitment to providing the highest quality, pharmaceutical grade products on the market, Joe Fox, Blühen Botanicals’ Co-Founder and CEO, said.

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“We have the largest network of expert farmers in the state of Tennessee who are growing hemp organically, and now, we’re empowered to scale our existing facilities faster, expand our farming network wider, and implement the highest international regulatory standards across the board," Fox said.

The uses of hemp CBD for pain, anxiety, and overall wellness have created a growing demand for the hemp crop.

Credit: Bluhen Retail Wellness
Bluhen Retail Wellness Location Rendering.jpg

According to a release, the company employs farming advisors who work directly with hemp farmers to meet Blühen’s premium standards. It also employs expert entomologists, plant pathologists, agronomists, chemists, and engineers on the 30-person team. 

"The investment gives the Knoxville-headquartered company the financial and organizational platform to pursue its product rollout strategy across the United States and around the world. Market research firm Brightfield Group predicts that the CBD industry will be worth $22 billion by 2022," the release said.

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Blühen’s boutique wellness products will be available for purchase in the Knoxville store and on the company’s website on May 17. Blühen’s next retail location will be in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. later this year.

“This partnership will make Blühen the exclusive supplier of bulk extracts to HeavenlyRx,” said Brady Cobb, CEO of SOL Global Investments. “CBD is the primary cannabinoid available in North America, but there are more than 100 cannabinoids that will soon enter the market. This partnership will allow Blühen and HeavenlyRx to scale globally.”

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