Assen has more than 70,000 residents and exactly one coffeeshop. The city now thinks that might be cutting it a little close. After all, if that one shop has to close temporarily, where do customers go? Quite possibly to an illegal dealer. That's why applications for up to two coffeeshop spots opened on October 23, with a deadline of December 3. Sounds like an opportunity for anyone dreaming of opening a weed shop. Just be prepared for a fairly impressive stack of paperwork first.
But here's where things get interesting. The Happy Corner has been part of Assen since 1987, yet its owners can't simply carry on as before. They're expected to join the same selection process as everybody else. City officials say it's about giving newcomers a chance, rather than keeping the local market in the same hands forever. You can see their point. But imagine spending decades getting your business off the ground, building up a regular crowd and keeping people employed, only to find yourself competing for permission to stay open. Not exactly the anniversary present you'd hope for.
And then there's the price of joining the race: €755.32 just to apply. Get turned down? That money's gone. A committee will look through the proposals before the mayor decides who gets a spot. Those selected can expect permission to operate for five years. After that, the whole process may come around again. Assen believes the approach will give the city more control and help keep customers away from illegal dealers. Whether it makes life any easier for the people actually running the shops is another matter. For The Happy Corner, the next chapter now depends on an application form rather than the customers who've been walking through its doors for years.
