Forest Lake opens first cannabis dispensary on June 16, 2026, owned by Mayor Blake Roberts and his brother Kelly Roberts, marking the city’s first retail cannabis outlet.
The dispensary, named The Greenhouse Cannabis Company, sits north of the Twin Cities metro in Forest Lake, Minnesota. The Roberts family has operated horticulture and community businesses in Forest Lake since 1930—96 years across three generations— and has expanded into new retail ventures before: Big Apple Bagel and coffee shop in 1997 and Roberts Family Funeral Home in 2005.
Blake Roberts said the family decided to enter the cannabis market to diversify after decades in horticulture. He and his brother opened the shop together and plan to begin cultivating their own product on a timeline they described as “soon,” pending licensing and build-out requirements.
Josh Prestegaard serves as general manager. Prestegaard, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer three years ago, told store staff and customers that medical cannabis helped him manage symptoms during treatment and improved his day-to-day functioning. “I honestly believed cannabis saved my life,” he said, describing a move away from some pharmaceutical side effects while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. He credited the product with helping him regain energy to participate in family life.
Customers at the opening voiced support for local access. Tess Cody told reporters she expects the store to “help people here in Forest Lake” and said she was excited about the new retail option.
Roberts said the family will follow state regulations for production and sales. Under Minnesota law, retail cannabis operators must hold state and local licenses, follow inventory tracking rules, and comply with packaging and testing requirements. Blake Roberts has publicly stated he will abstain from all City Council votes and council decisions that relate to the new business to avoid a conflict of interest with his role as mayor.
Operational details released at opening: The Greenhouse Cannabis Company will initially sell a range of adult-use products including flower, pre-rolls, vapes, and select edibles sourced from licensed producers. The store plans to add products grown on-site after completing cultivation licensing and appropriate facility upgrades. The Roberts brothers have not provided a firm date for in-house production; they described the move to cultivation as dependent on licensing approval times and build-out costs.
Forest Lake city officials confirmed this is the first licensed cannabis retailer within city limits. The opening follows broader market expansion in Minnesota since the state legalized adult-use cannabis and began issuing retail licenses. Local officials did not immediately release data on projected tax revenue or expected job creation tied specifically to the store, but retail dispensaries typically employ store managers, budtenders, security staff, and compliance personnel. The Roberts family employed these roles at opening and identified plans to hire additional staff if cultivation begins.
The store’s launch also highlights public perceptions and community response. Some residents welcomed local access to regulated cannabis products, citing convenience and product testing standards. Others at the opening raised questions about public safety, zoning, and how local government should handle officials with private cannabis investments. Minneapolis-area media coverage noted that abstention from votes is one method elected officials use to manage conflicts of interest; Forest Lake officials said they will follow that practice with Roberts.
The Greenhouse Cannabis Company opening demonstrates a direct business shift for a family-owned operation that has run horticulture-related services for nearly a century. The Roberts brothers framed the move as strategic: they cited changing market demand and a desire to create new revenue streams while remaining rooted in local commerce. They intend to source some products from established licensed producers while building the infrastructure required for in-house cultivation.
Key verifiable facts: – Opening date: June 16, 2026. – Location: Forest Lake, Minnesota, north of the Twin Cities metro. – Ownership: Brothers Blake and Kelly Roberts; Blake Roberts serves as Forest Lake mayor and has declared he will abstain from related council votes. – Company name: The Greenhouse Cannabis Company. – Family business history: Roberts family entered local business in 1930; Big Apple Bagel opened in 1997; Roberts Family Funeral Home opened in 2005. – General manager: Josh Prestegaard, who says cannabis helped him manage cancer treatment side effects.
The store’s short-term measurable outcomes to watch include: license approvals for cultivation (timing and status), local hiring numbers reported by the business, and any city-level regulatory actions or council votes from which Mayor Roberts formally abstains. The owners said they will release updates on cultivation plans and hiring as those items progress through regulatory review.
For Forest Lake residents, the opening means local access to regulated adult-use cannabis products and a new private business investment tied to a longstanding local family. City officials and the business committed to following Minnesota regulatory rules and to public disclosure of council abstentions when issues related to the dispensary arise.
