November 28, 2023 Minnesota’s cannabis law does a good job of making licenses available to a broad swath of entrepreneurs in the North Star State. Still, the application process is likely to result in significant expenses for applicants before they even know whether their cannabis business will qualify to receive a license from the state Read more…

January 20, 2017 Few things beat a good summer day out on a brewery patio with a crisp beer and your dog at your side.  Unfortunately, the Hoppy Lawyers live in Minneapolis, where hanging out outdoors for portions of the year can result in some nasty frostbite and currently, our furry family members are not Read more…

On behalf of Garner, Ginsburg & Johnsen, P.A. on Wednesday, July 23, 2014. W. Michael Garner presented the franchisee point of view on franchisor mergers and acquisitions at the International Franchise Association’s Legal Symposium in May of this year. Pointing out that numerous franchisors recently have been acquired by private equity firms, he cautioned franchisees Read more…

September 15, 2016 Minnesota’s three-tier system, its effects on brewpub distribution, and why you can’t snag a Masala Mama from Townhall Brewery at your local liquor store. Check out the article about brewpub distribution that led to the creation of Hop Law! What we would give to be able to get some of the great Read more…

July 14, 2023 You probably already know that cannabis was legalized in Minnesota in 2023. Opening a cannabis business is not as simple as putting up a sign and stocking inventory. There are a number of things you should know if you plan to get into a cannabis business and we’re going to address some Read more…

May 22, 2023 For those of you that do not know, Minnesota has passed a bill legalizing adult-use cannabis. It is going to take a while to implement but right now, those in the hemp-derived cannabinoid market are confused. I have heard a number of false rumors going around about how this bill impacts the Read more…

October 20, 2023 One of the more interesting licenses in Minnesota’s cannabis framework is the event organizer license.  Authorized Actions: An event organizer license will permit the holder to organize temporary cannabis events that last no more than four days.  Additional Information Required: In addition to standard license application information, event organizer license applicants must Read more…

October 20, 2023 A cannabis mezzobusiness is given many of the same benefits given to a microbusiness licensee and has even more room to grow than a microbusiness, but one key exception is that mezzobusinesses are not permitted to obtain an on-site consumption endorsement. Authorized Actions: A mezzobusiness license allows the licensee to grow, produce Read more…

October 20, 2023 One of the more unique approaches to licensing in Minnesota is the focus on helping small local businesses. The microbusiness license provides small businesses with flexibility not available to other licensees. Authorized Actions:  A cannabis microbusiness license allows the licensee to grow, produce concentrate, manufacture artificially derived cannabinoids, and producing other cannabis Read more…

October 20, 2023 Minnesota’s cannabis retailer license provision gives licensees a number of rights, but those rights also come with certain restrictions. Here is a summary of the key points: Authorized Actions: A cannabis retailer license allows a licensee to purchase various cannabis-related products, including immature cannabis plants, seedlings, cannabis flower, cannabis products, lower-potency hemp Read more…

October 20, 2023 A cannabis transporter license is a somewhat unique type of license. In the alcohol industry, there are essentially retailers, wholesalers, and producers/suppliers (and while this is an oversimplification of alcohol regulations, it covers the basic idea underlying alcohol regulation). So while we have discussed retail licensing and wholesale licensing that generally track Read more…

October 20, 2023 Minnesota’s cannabis wholesaler license gives licensed wholesalers a number of rights when it comes to purchasing and selling cannabis at wholesale, but it is not going to be the Wild West – far from it, in fact. Authorized Purchases: A cannabis wholesaler license allows the licensee to purchase immature cannabis plants, seedlings, Read more…