The possibility of buying a bag of weed or high-dose cannabis gummies from a corner store or shopping center is drawing near, but don't expect the shelves to be full right away.

Why it matters: While the rollout of recreational marijuana in Minnesota is months behind schedule, the first wave of non-tribal businesses that intend to grow, manufacture and sell cannabis are racing to sign leases and gain city approvals.

State of play: We could see the first shops open by the end of summer, according to the state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) and industry experts.

• OCM held several June 5 lotteries to select hundreds of businesses for various licenses, including 75 dispensaries that qualify for social equity status. The first license, for a small Pine County shop and grow operation, was issued last week, while others still have hurdles to clear.

Friction point: Close to 700 applicants have received preliminary approval for "microbusiness" licenses, which would allow them to open a single retail location or a small growing or manufacturing operation — or potentially all three.

• But cities have put restrictions on where and how many dispensaries can operate.
• "You have this difficulty where people are looking for a retail spot and might have found one, but they don't know if they'll win the race to the City Hall to get one of the spots where the city allows," cannabis business attorney Carol Moss told Axios.

Reality check: The shops that do get up and running soon will also face a supply issue, industry experts say.

• That's because most of the businesses that grow weed will be gaining their licenses at the same time that retailers get their licenses. It takes months to get from seed to harvest.
• Cannabis consultant Leili Fatehi said the short-term solution could be dispensaries buying from tribal growers — who are already up and running — or possibly from established medical marijuana companies, depending on how regulators handle licensing those firms.

The bottom line: Consumers should be ready for stores with limited products and high prices early on, Moss said. A recent state budget bill that raised the sales tax on cannabis from 10% to 15%, beginning Tuesday, should add to sticker shock.

• But both Moss and Fatehi expect that prices will drop in 2026 as more growers and manufacturers get running.

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The Twins have lost 15 of their last 19 games. For you non sportsball fans, that's really bad.

Why it matters: The Twins were 34-27 on June 4 and firmly in position to make the playoffs. They're now 38-42 and have just a 3% chance of making the postseason.

Between the lines: The pitching has fallen apart in large part due to an injury to ace Pablo López and because Chris Paddack and Bailey Ober went from looking like All-Stars to looking like they belong with the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

• The team has allowed an astonishing nine or more runs in eight of its last 19 games.

What we're watching: If Minnesota sells off its players before the July 31 trade deadline.

🏀 The Wolves selected French center Joan Beringer with the 17th pick in last night's NBA draft. (Sports Illustrated)

🍪 General Mills is expecting a 10-15% decline in profits in the year ahead, citing uncertainty from "tariffs, global conflicts, and changing regulations." (Reuters)

🚧 Get ready for a weekend of freeway closures, including 494 in Richfield and Bloomington, 35W between the Crosstown and 494 and the eastbound lanes of 94 between Hwy. 280 and 35E. (Star Tribune)

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz remains underwater with men, according to a new poll released Wednesday.

Why it matters: Democrats across the nation are grappling with how to win over the "manosphere" after President Trump won a majority of male voters in 2024.

By the numbers: Just 37% of male voters in Minnesota approve of the DFL governor's job performance, a new Minnesota Poll conducted by the Star Tribune and the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication shows.

• Only 34% of men think he should seek a third term.

The intrigue: Among women, the numbers flip, with 60% giving him a thumbs up and 55% on board with another bid.

• Overall, 49% of voters approve of Walz's job performance and 45% say he should run again.

Flashback: In September's Minnesota Poll, Walz had the backing of 38% of men and 57% of women, per the Star Tribune.

Between the lines: Walz was tapped for the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket in part due to a belief that his bio as a gun-owning veteran and former high school football coach would help the party woo "persuadable" male voters.

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For many of Minnesota's craft breweries, 2024 was a stabilizing year after steep declines during the pandemic.

State of play: Some of the the state's largest breweries posted increases in sales last year, including Schell's, Summit, Third Street, Lift Bridge and Fair State, according to an Axios analysis of Brewers Association data.

• There were seven closings and eight openings in 2024, Bob Galligan, director of government and industry relations for the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild, told Axios in April.

North Loop institution Sex World is closing on Sunday, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reporter J.D. Duggan confirmed through some gumshoe reporting.

Nick's thought bubble: It's not just the penis costume the North Loop is losing. Sex World is one of the last vestiges of a neighborhood that was once known for its smut, art galleries and warehouses.

• It's down to Cuzzy's and Deja Vu.