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This is a mom and pop operation in the best sense: a small, warm, intimate and inviting space, with a friendly and knowledgeable staff that goes out of its way to get to know you. It’s no small thing to be greeted by name and a smile; a fundamental courtesy often forgotten. Significantly, the smiles are not forced and the greetings (thankfully) lack the faux enthusiasm usually exhibited by retail employees who’ve attended too many staff motivation meetings and hence come off as hyped-up game-show contestants when interacting with the public. I’m a transplant from Los Angeles used to dispensaries that are armed fortresses with security personnel that appear to be ex-SWAT on steroids. So, the Oregon system in general and dispensaries in particular here are a refreshing change. Medicine Tree is not the first OR dispensary I’ve patronized and it may not be the last. I recently, for instance, visited the new dispensary in McMinnville. It was certainly pleasant and had a diverse inventory (as is and does Medicine Tree). But there was a clinical ambience, the decor a bit too bright, sterile, and cold. The staff was nice enough. But the two staff members I interacted with were young and seemed rather callow. That’s not a crime but I’d like to feel that any dispensary’s staff knows more than I do about what they’re offering and are not spending their off-hours playing with toy trucks and dolls. As long as Medicine Tree is around I’ll be a faithful client. I note the above criticism of Jaqui, the co-owner who works the front desk. If you expect to be greeted by confetti, noisemakers, and the pep squad with pom-poms, with Jaqui jumping out of a cake to say hello and sing a song, you will be disappointed. She’s a smart, serious woman, yet with a delightfully understated sense of humor. My sense is that she’s disinclined to suffer fools gladly or perform a vaudeville act to win your heart and patronage. In other words, she’s not a phony. She doesn’t pander. I, for one, appreciate her authenticity and character. Bottom line: I enjoy stopping by Medicine Tree, and if I ever lose the need for medicinal weed I’ll miss the place. I don’t expect to ever feel that way about another dispensary.