Aug 13, 2025 - Business

Despensary closes original Court Avenue shop

Photo: Courtesy of Eric Burson

Despensary owner JC Cirese tells Axios he closed the Court Avenue shop due to lower customer demand after the state capped THC in products in 2024.

Cirese is still operating the Ingersoll location, but he says he struggles because customers can purchase higher-dose THC products online instead.

"Instead of keeping Iowa dollars in Iowa, it's flooding out to other states that ship hemp products to Iowa," he says.

Zoom in: Cirese told Axios last year he planned on opening Zazas, a pizza restaurant in the former Java Joe's.

"The plan is still full speed ahead, but with the hemp stuff it's such a struggle," Cirese says.

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