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The KURE Drive-Thru, at 3354 Cerrillos Road, recently opened its new drive-up and walk-up location, becoming one of the first drive-through dispensaries in the state. (Courtesy of KURE)

Copyright © 2020 Albuquerque Journal

Medical cannabis card holders in Santa Fe now have the option to fill their orders without ever setting foot in a dispensary.

The KURE Drive-Thru, at 3354 Cerrillos Road, recently opened its new drive-up and walk-up location, becoming one of the first drive-through dispensaries in the state.

Madheki Noah, retail operations director for the dispensary, said plans to open a drive-through had been in the works for quite some time, but there wasn't an immediate demand for that business model – until the pandemic.

“The pandemic has more or less given us a bigger push,” Noah said.

R. Greenleaf opened what it touted as the state's first drive-through dispensary earlier this year in Roswell.

Noah said the model, which is still uncommon for dispensaries across the country, lets customers receive their orders without having to ever step inside of an indoor lobby.

“As long as we're able to get them their medicine safe, we're winning,” he said.

The new dispensary model has already had a warm reception, with clients and neighbors giving positive feedback to workers of the dispensary, Noah said.

“The only biggest struggle has been keeping up with the patients,” he said.

With the new model, clients have the option to order ahead and pick up their order, or to directly place an order at the window. The entire process usually only takes two to five minutes per client, he said.

Noah said even though the dispensary only operates through pickup windows, the business model is still very safe, thanks to the many cameras and security teams at the facility.

The dispensary is celebrating its grand opening starting today, Friday.