Red Iris LLC, a cannabis business approved to open in East Grand Forks, will not proceed with its plans. The real estate company, Chicago Atlantic, has terminated the purchasing agreement for the location. Chicago Atlantic also confirmed that Red Iris is no longer pursuing a license from the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management.
City Administrator Reid Huttunen provided updates on the situation. Red Iris and Skol MN LLC were initially granted preliminary registration approval in August 2025 through a lottery, with two backup businesses chosen, including Boreal Elite LLC from Washington State. However, Mayor Mark Olstad expressed his disapproval of granting a license to Boreal Elite.
East Grand Forks has limited the number of dispensaries to two, although White Earth Nation recently opened a third dispensary, Waabigwan Mashkiki, due to agreements with state government allowing Indigenous tribes to operate dispensaries beyond city ordinances. Skol MN is still working towards opening its business.
Red Iris was set to occupy a property previously home to the Spud Jr. restaurant. Mayor Olstad noted that the decision regarding the property lease was made by MNBowl, not the city. Council President Brian Larson proposed discussing the regulations with the original dispensary committee, while Huttunen will report back to the council on his findings.
