Hemp House in Medina offers pain-relief products for people and pets

MEDINA – When Mitch Krandrans and his fiancée Johanna Chelton pitch the benefits of hemp and CBD to their customers, they can back up what they’re talking about.

Kwandrans and Chelton recently opened the Hemp House at 409 Main St., in Medina, where they sell a variety of products made from hemp.

Kwandrans first tried CBD for pain a few years ago for serious neck and back pain.

“It really worked, once I found a brand that was reputable,” he said.

Then Chelton started taking it for severe foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis and a bone spur.

“I have had eczema for 18 years, and four months into taking CBD, I noticed my eczema was completely gone,” Kwandrans said. “I had previously tried creams, steroids and everything doctors could prescribe.”

Today he has no foot pain whatsoever.

Mitch Kwandrans holds his dog Chance in the new Hemp House he and his fiancée Johanna Chelton recently opened in Medina. They also sell hemp products for dogs and cats.

They started to do research on auto immune diseases and decided to develop a brand themselves, which wouldn’t cut any corners.

“We wanted a pure product that actually matches what it says on the bottle,” Kwandrans said.

They contracted with a farm in La Junta, Colo. to grow their hemp. It is then taken to a nearby facility with extraction equipment, where it is purified and packaged in Kwandrans’ containers for shipment to Medina. He stressed the facility is FDA registered and Current Good Manufacturing Practices-certified. Then their product is shipped to a third-party lab to be full-panel tested for purity, potency, pesticides, heavy metals, contaminants and microbials, such as ecoli or salmonella.

Customers can scan a code on the labels with their cell phone and bring up the product’s entire lab report.

Kwandrans created a company, Kraydo Organics, in 2016 and went online selling kratom from Indonesia. That was going really strong, he said.

He owns his brand, Higher Purpose CBD, which he developed in 2019. They began selling their products all over the country, and then people start asking why he didn’t have a store to sell it locally.

“This store was available, and we contacted Tom Snyder (owner of building) and made a deal,” Kwandrans said. “We wanted to bring access to people who wanted to try it or normally wouldn’t have heard about it. Our stuff is all pharmaceutical grade.”

The Hemp House sells CBD oils and creams, gummies made from elderberry extract, sleep aids and CBD for dogs and cats and dog treats. Their dog Chance, a Yorkshire Terrier, is pictured on the packaging for their pet products. Hemp flowers and hemp flower buds are big sellers, Kwandrans said.

Kwandrans explained CBD products work with the endocannabinoid system to decrease inflammation all over the body. With consistent use, its benefits really build up, and relief will increase over time.

Kwandrans said CBD was first put out in the country in California in 2015. It had been a gray area, he said, until President Trump signed the Farm Bill, making growing hemp legal.

The Hemp House has a large following of customers willing to share their personal success stories from using CBD products.

One is Megg Wakefield, who buys CBD treats and tincture oil for dogs.

“We have tried other brands – some that claim to be premium and at a premium cost – and none of them have helped our extremely high-strung and anxious mixed-breed pup as much as High Purpose. Our dog loves the flavor and prefers them over any other treats. Best of all, Hemp House offers their product at a much more affordable price.”

Leah Steverson said she was so happy Kwandrans and Chelton opened the store in Medina, facilitating a convenient way for her to treat her chronic back pain. She loves that it is non-habit forming.

“It just makes sense,” she said. “I’d like to see my friends continue to thrive and provide access to medicinal treatments that work.”

Another satisfied customer is Lee Sullivan who buys CBD products for his cat Marlon and himself.

“Once I decided to visit, I was pleased to find the shop is very bright and organized, and owners are friendly and helpful,” Sullivan said.

He said he has noticed a big improvement in his cat’s attitude and activity level, even at 14 years.

“I also bought hemp for my own personal use for nerve pain and sleep,” Sullivan said. “I couldn’t be more happy with the quality of their flower. The effects were powerful and exactly what I needed.”

Hemp House is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They accept phone orders and deliver on Sundays. Orders may be placed online at medinahemphouse.com.

Kwandrans and Chelton strongly advocate for the village to opt in to cannabis dispensaries. This will eliminate the danger of purchased it on the street where it is unregulated.

If the village opts out, Kwandrans said they have the ability to have a petition signed by residents of Medina requesting a permissive referendum to put it on a ballot and let the residents decide. They will have papers at Hemp House for residents to sign their name, address and phone number, so Kwandrans can develop a roster for those who are willing to sign a petition, if needed.