By Tim Binnall
A sizeable Sasquatch statue outside of a Michigan marijuana dispensary has become a source of controversy in a community. According to a local media report, the 14-foot-tall faux Bigfoot (seen here) serves as something of a mascot for the pot shop Higher Love in the city of Menominee. Upon its unveiling earlier this month, the huge piece placed at the edge of the property along a busy road has understandably turned heads. However, not everyone is thrilled with the community's new cryptid.
At a meeting of the Menominee Planning Commission last week, resident Stefanie Ehle argued that a beloved character such as Sasquatch giving a proverbial endorsement for pot could steer the community's youngsters in the wrong direction. "Children often develop a strong emotional attachment with mascots, giving the feeling of friendship and trust," she mused, "this positive association often stays with children through adulthood." Ehle's concerns were echoed by the Healthy Youth Coalition of Menominee which indicated that they conducted focus groups wherein kids in the community specifically noted the "big gorilla by the bridge" beckoning people into the dispensary.
In response to the matter being raised at the meeting, Higher Love dismissed the suggestion that the Bigfoot is aimed at appealing to kids. "This is not a cartoon character," company president Joni Moore asserted, observing that the Bigfoot outside the Menominee shop "is a little bit scary, so I don’t see how that's targeting children at all." Ultimately, she posited that the piece is meant to provide "a little whimsy" to the community while teasing that the company may soon go all in on the cryptid as their official mascot since "everybody loves Sasquatch." Strangely enough, Higher Love is the second Michigan dispensary to recently make news by celebrating Bigfoot as another shop made headlines last week by offering a free joint to any customer who can produce a photograph of the cryptid.