10/07/2024
Dear Customers,
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closing of our physical location of Vanko. When we started this business, it was with a clear mission: to help people understand and experience the benefits of h**p. We took pride in offering high-quality, traceable products, carefully vetting the farms we partnered with to ensure everything we sold met federal guidelines. Our goal was always to provide you with the best, most transparent options in the area.
After three incredible years of serving you, evolving laws, confusion around h**p regulations, and the unjust prosecution of innocent shop owners have made it increasingly difficult for us to continue. Despite the fact that h**p and its derivatives are federally legal, state entities have continued to target and prosecute small businesses—misunderstanding or disregarding the laws that regulate these products. This improper prosecution doesn’t just affect business owners; it affects you, our customers, by making it harder for people to access the products they need. This is an issue nationwide, affecting several of our farms and companies as well. We don’t feel comfortable renewing our lease with the risk of the rug being pulled out from under us at any moment as we’re seeing with some of our partnering companies.
Additionally, the loss of Rick, Rachael’s father, has deeply impacted us. He was a core part of our vision and passion for this business. Without him, it’s been difficult for our hearts to remain fully in this endeavor. We are grateful for all the support and relationships we’ve built over the years, and we sincerely thank you for your loyalty.
While we are closing the doors of our physical store on October 29th, we will continue offering our products online, as long as the laws permit, and going back to our roots of doing pop ups. You’ll catch us at some of your favorite festivals and events like before! We’ll also be holding sales before our final day, so please stop in, say goodbye, and grab what you need.
Thank you again for being part of our journey. We hope to continue serving you through our online store and in the community. 💚
