About Us
Drawn to the Power and Possibility of Cannabis.
How it all began
In his high school years, Casey grew marijuana in his bedroom closet at home in Rockford, where he was living with his parents. Growing up in Alaska, his mom and dad operated a fishing boat business and lived a naturalistic lifestyle. โIโve always been interested in cannabis,โ he said. He continued to grow plants throughout high school and collegeโactivities that resulted in a felony for marijuana possession (2002) and a misdemeanor charge (2004).
In 2008 when Michigan established its medical marijuana program, Casey became a caregiver and grew for patients in the Grand Rapids area. He graduated from Grand Valley State University that same year. Casey took a position with a West Michigan bank and worked in commercial banking while growing cannabis for six patients. โMy heart is really in medical marijuana,โ he said. As a caregiver, he developed close relationships with his patients and felt as if he was truly able to help people with a variety of medical issues. Casey even met his wife through the power of cannabis, when he was randomly assigned her father as a patient. Like many caregivers, Casey had an “aha” moment that came from his skill in growingโan excess of product. He set his sights on creating a cannabis growing operation in Grand Rapids. With property in the marijuana zones being scarce and expensive, growing wasnโt his best option, so he explored opening a retail cannabis business.
Grand Rapids’ only 100% locally owned Dispensary
Pharmhouse Wellness opened in March 2020 for medical cannabis sales and opened in December 2020 for recreational cannabis sales. Phase two of Pharmhouse, the grow and cultivation operation, began in May of 2022. Product is scheduled to hit the shelves in fall of 2022.
Casey, his wife, and daughters live in the City of Grand Rapids.
Social Equity
Cannabis social equity is more than a plan or a checkboxโfor us it is a deeply held company value.
Pharmhouse Wellness prioritizes participation in the improvement of the local communities in which we operate by creating growth industry jobs, strategic and local sourcing and financial contributions to impactful community organizations.
Growing Community: How We Give
Westpharm Reinvestment Fund
Weโve created the Westpharm Reinvestment Fund and with it, envision strategic partnerships with woman and minority-owned community partners and local nonprofit organizations. Our vision is to advance social equity programs and neighborhood-focused initiatives. The Westpharm Reinvestment Fund is funded with annual contributions that correspond to the savings on existing licensure and assessment fee reductions that our businesses receive as well as periodic company contributions.
Financial Contributions
Pharmhouse Wellness is located in a transitional areaโwhere Grand Rapidsโ industrial zoning meets with an established neighborhood. We support our very closest neighbors with quarterly donations to help counter the traffic and disruption caused by having a cannabis business right next door. Weโre open to supporting other good causes in Grand Rapids, too. Special consideration is given to those people who have been affected by marijuana-related convictions and organizations that support them.
Employment
The very best way we can live our social equity values is to create and offer jobs for people in our community. When recruiting employees and selecting business partners, we give preference to qualified job candidates and business owners who disclose having been charged with marijuana-related crimes and residents who live within the communities that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition and enforcement.
Meet the Pham
As a small, local business, our knowledgeable staff will talk you through all of our offerings and make sure you have the best product for your needs. Questions? We’re happy to help.
Casey Kornoelje
Founder of Pharmhouse Wellness and Cultivator of Five Lakes Farms
Jacquelyn
Marketing Director and Social Media Manager
austin
Assistant Retail Manager
Ashley
Creative Director
Audrey
Assistant Retail Manager
Lauren
Inventory Manager and Purchaser
Trent
Assistant Retail Manager
Alaskan Jim’s
Secret Garden
Pharmhouse Wellness has an interesting connection with all types of flowers, not just cannabis.
Before Pharmhouse Wellness, Casey and his wife Megan Kornoelje lived on a farm in Greenville where they grew flowers and produce to sell at farmerโs markets. The farm was called Jacobโs Acres, to commemorate Caseyโs late brother, Jacob Kornoelje. Caseyโs parents, Patti and Jim Kornoelje, were heavily involved at Jacobโs Acres as they are here at the Pharm. The Kornoeljes truly have strong green thumb genetics.
Pharmhouse Wellness earned its name when Casey decided to bring a bit of the farm from Greenville into their next chapter. This would be their new farm, where they would cultivate a different kind of flower; cannabis.
One morning in the Spring of 2022, Alaskan Jim (Caseyโs Dad) planted the entire garden in the back of the dispensary by our gravel parking lot. Alaskan Jim was out there hacking away at Japanese knotweed, and planting everything you see in the garden, from seed! Jim did this for his wife Patti, who loves flowers, because he knew it would make her happy. This garden also brought a sentimental piece of Jacobโs Acres into the heart of Pharmhouse Wellness.
Buzzworthy
October 13, 2022 | WOOD TV8
Marijuana shop collecting pumpkins for schools
August 30, 2022 | GVSU Forum
Graduate’s cannabis business becoming integral part of Grand Rapids neighborhood
March 16, 2022 | WOOD TV8
Expungement resource fair for nonviolent cannabis offenders in GR
January 20, 2022 | Grown In
With more than 700 dispensary licenses, some Michigan retailers are feeling the competition
December 19, 2021 | MiBiz
Michigan cannabis leaders see more M&A, minority ownership in 2022
November 23, 2021 | Grand Rapids Magazine
Pharmhouse Wellness to provide turkeys for those in need
November 22, 2021 | FOX 17
Massive marijuana recall causing frustrations, as testing lab stands by results
November 22, 2021 | WZZM 13
โFelons Feeding Familiesโ: Dispensaries partner to give 100 turkeys to families in need
November 16, 2021 | WOOD TV8
Bills would cut down how much medical marijuana caregivers could grow
May 7, 2021 | Michigan Radio
How cannabis went from straining a family to bringing them together
May 7, 2021 | Rapid Growth
At Pharmhouse Wellness itโs all in the family (business) this Mother’s Day
January 11, 2021 | Grand Rapids Magazine
Following Its Entry into Adult Use, Grand Rapidsโ Pharmhouse Wellness Set to Expand
December 19, 2020 | Michigan Radio
Newest recreational cannabis shop in Grand Rapids is the first owned by a city resident
November 13, 2020 | MiBiz
Two Grand Rapids dispensaries approved for recreational cannabis sales
October 13, 2020 | WOOD TV8
New โClean Slateโ law has advocates hopeful
May 28, 2020 | Fox 17
Mom helps sonโs medical pot shop thriveย
March 20, 2020 | MLive
Second medical marijuana shop opens in Grand Rapidsย
KYLE
What people are saying on Weedmaps