B........e

There are very likely people who will love Gold Leaf. It's got a lot of gold, a foreboding guard with an earpiece, and lots of black uniforms. (I'm envisioning an '80s casino boss sitting atop a heap of white stuff waaaay in the back.) Front desk, friendly; employees, weirdly nervous and offputting. It could just be my personal mismatch with the place; the difference between this place and MANA is the difference between status-conscious Annapolis and laid-back South County, and I'm defintely an old South County broad. (Young men sometimes seem baffled as to how to deal with an older woman who is in neither a maternal nor a romantic role.) The selection and prices looked to be good, and the waiting area was elegant. The location is convenient, with lots of parking. I won't say I wouldn't shop here again--the business is very new and might be more calming after it's been around for a while.

MANA is the first dispensary I ever visited, if only from an outsider's perspective. There's sometimes a vegetable market out back. The place has a classy but friendly surf shop vibe that's totally appropriate for the area. Possibly the first place where I was called "Brigid" instead of "Mrs. Kildare." I didn't buy anything on this visit, because they didn't have my very specific item, but they advised me on where to get it.

This place has a beautiful coffeehouse feel. (And it smells great!) The staff are amazing; they took a lot of time with me as a first-timer. The vibe is professional but not sterile or humorless. The selection is very good. I'm so grateful to have Salvera as my home dispensary.