Medical Retail
Address: 5001 N Clark St Chicago, Illinois 60640
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Dispensary 33 - Andersonville (Med) is a medical retail dispensary located in Chicago, Illinois.
In Chicago’s 60640 ZIP Code, Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med) is part of a mature, highly local North Side business corridor where cannabis, community, and day-to-day city logistics intersect. This location helped introduce medical cannabis to the city when Dispensary 33 opened Chicago’s first medical dispensary in 2015, and that history still shapes how the Andersonville team approaches patient education, inventory, and service. For anyone trying to understand what it’s like to visit a medical cannabis dispensary in this part of Chicago, it helps to know both the neighborhood context and the practical travel details that make getting to Clark Street straightforward on some days and slow-going on others.
The storefront sits along the Clark Street spine that connects Uptown to Edgewater and Bowmanville, with the Swedish American Museum, small independent retailers, and long-standing food institutions giving the area its distinct character. Locals know that Andersonville weekends bring steady foot traffic and that parking along Clark can be tight during peak dining hours and events. Those realities influence when neighborhood residents stop by for cannabis, how they arrive, and what they do to make their visit efficient.
Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med) keeps a medical-first orientation even as Illinois’ adult-use market has grown. Staff are accustomed to helping new and long-time medical patients navigate dosing, product formats, and the state’s purchase limits. If you are a registered medical cannabis patient in Illinois, this matters because the state’s rules, taxes, and purchase allowances differ considerably from the adult-use side. The medical allotment is tracked on a statewide system in 14‑day cycles, and medical patients pay a far lower tax rate than adult-use customers. Those fundamentals translate into the on-the-ground experience: shorter lines for medical patients, inventory considerations that take patient needs into account, and more time for conversation with a specialist when you have questions about terpenes, ingestion methods, or potential effects.
Getting there by car is usually easiest via Lake Shore Drive or Foster Avenue, with Clark Street as your final approach. From downtown or the Near North Side, drivers typically head north on Lake Shore Drive (US 41) and exit at Foster Avenue. Foster is 5200 North; turn west toward Clark, then head a few blocks south toward Argyle to get into the Andersonville stretch where the dispensary is located. Outside of rush hour, that sequence is the most predictable. During weekday commutes, the Foster off-ramp can back up, and the intersections at Foster and Broadway and at Foster and Clark often see slow cycles due to bus stops and heavy pedestrian crossings. If Lake Shore Drive is backed up, another reliable path is to exit at Lawrence and work west to Clark, then turn north; it’s a few more blocks on surface streets, but sometimes this route shortens the wait at the Foster light.
From the Kennedy or Edens expressways (I‑90/I‑94), most drivers exit at Foster, head east, cross through Ravenswood, and continue to Clark. Traffic on Foster east of Western ebbs and flows throughout the day, with predictable slowness at Damen, Ravenswood, and Ashland. On weekends when there’s a farmers market on Clark or a festival in Andersonville, many drivers prefer a parallel north–south route such as Ashland to approach from the west, turning east on Argyle, Winnemac, or Balmoral and then coming up to Clark from a side street. Argyle and Carmen often function as useful cut-throughs for drop-offs because they’re less congested than Clark but still close enough for a short walk.
From Edgewater or Rogers Park, you can simply take Clark south. Traffic here is steady but not usually gridlocked during the midday, with pinch points at Bryn Mawr and Foster. Coming from Evanston, drivers often follow Ridge to Clark or Ashland and then head south; Ridge can be a time-saver during peak congestion if Lake Shore Drive is slowed or if construction is active around Peterson and Hollywood. For anyone arriving from the lakefront neighborhoods, Sheridan to Bryn Mawr and then west to Clark is a common path, though Broadway near Berwyn and Argyle is busier than it looks on the map, particularly when Red Line station improvements are underway or when the Argyle Night Market is in season.
Street parking is metered along Clark, and using the ParkChicago app makes it easier to extend your time without sprinting back to the meter. Side streets like Argyle, Carmen, and Winnemac sometimes have free spaces, but many blocks are signed for residential permit parking at night or during event hours, and street-cleaning days move those spots around week to week. Plan a few extra minutes to read signs. Rideshare drivers tend to pull over on Argyle rather than Clark for pick-ups and drop-offs, which keeps them out of the main lane and can shorten the wait. For cyclists, Clark and Ravenswood are the common north–south choices, and many riders connect to the Lakefront Trail and exit at Foster to head west. The Broadway and Foster intersection demands attention due to turning vehicles and buses, so a lot of people prefer the quieter block grid west of Broadway.
Public transit puts the dispensary within reach of most of the North Side. The Argyle Red Line station is the closest ‘L’ stop, with a walk west to Clark, and the Berwyn and Lawrence stops are alternative options that bracket the area. The #22 Clark bus is the simplest bus route, dropping riders up and down the corridor and connecting Andersonville to Rogers Park and the Loop. East–west lines such as the #92 Foster or #81 Lawrence make it easy to arrive from Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater, and Lincoln Square, and the #36 Broadway puts you a short walk away if you prefer that route. For suburban commuters, the Ravenswood Metra stop on the UP‑North line is about a 15‑ to 20‑minute walk west-to-east across the neighborhood grid.
Inside, the medical experience feels different than a high‑volume recreational counter. Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med) respects the pace medical patients need, and staff are practiced at walking through the menu in plain language without pressure. If you are managing symptoms rather than shopping for novelty, that matters. Many Chicago medical patients do a quick online preorder first, then arrive during a planned window to avoid waiting. Preorders let the staff hold items while you commute and reduce time spent at checkout. The typical flow is to check in at the front desk with your ID and medical card, confirm your online order or build one with a consultant, and then pay at the register. Most dispensaries in Chicago work with cash or debit via a PIN‑based system; traditional credit cards remain rare due to federal banking rules. Expect an on-site ATM as a backstop.
What stands out in Andersonville is how the dispensary has woven into local health and cultural life without trying to be the star attraction. Dispensary 33 is known for featuring rotating art installations in its windows and for collaborating with neighborhood creatives, a small but meaningful signal that the storefront is part of the local fabric rather than an outlier on the block. Andersonville’s calendar—Midsommarfest, Arts Week, Pride weekend—often drives foot-traffic patterns on Clark. On those days, it’s wise to check event maps and street closure notices from the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce to plan your arrival. The dispensary’s team has also supported North Side nonprofit efforts over the years, including LGBTQ+ affirming organizations and community health groups that focus on care access and harm reduction. That alignment shows up in practical ways, like staff literacy around sensitive health questions and a general comfort discussing wellness goals as well as product flavor or format.
On the medical side, Illinois patients benefit from a different set of rules than adult-use customers. Registered medical cannabis patients in Illinois can purchase up to 2.5 ounces of usable cannabis during any 14‑day period, with the possibility of physician-authorized increases when clinically appropriate. Medical sales are taxed at 1% in Illinois rather than the multi‑layered excise and local taxes paid by adult-use customers, which is why you’ll hear medical patients talk about meaningful savings at the register. Medical patients may also cultivate up to five plants at home under state law; adult-use consumers cannot. While adult-use shoppers can legally purchase and possess cannabis in Chicago, the purchase limits are lower than the medical allotment: generally up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, 5 grams of concentrate, and edibles or other infused products totaling no more than 500 mg THC for Illinois residents, with non-residents allowed half of those amounts. There is no medical reciprocity for out-of-state patients in Illinois, so out-of-state medical cards don’t change the adult-use rules if you’re visiting from elsewhere.
The tax structure for adult-use products can surprise first‑timers. Illinois levies a tiered cannabis excise tax at the register, with rates that vary by product type and THC percentage, and standard state and local sales taxes may apply on top of that. In Chicago and Cook County, municipal cannabis taxes further stack onto the receipt for adult-use purchases. The combined effect is that a flower eighth or a vape cartridge can carry noticeably higher taxes than in some other states. Medical sales, by contrast, keep the costs down for patients who rely on cannabis as part of their symptom management. This is one reason many Chicagoans seek medical certification if they qualify, and a reason why medical-first dispensaries in neighborhoods like Andersonville remain relevant even as adult-use options expand.
Locals typically buy legal cannabis in Chicago with a predictability that mirrors routine grocery shopping. They start by comparing menus and inventory online, often using the dispensary’s website directly rather than third-party marketplaces for the most current stock and discounts. Regulars will look for category filters—flower, pre‑rolls, vapes, edibles, tinctures, topicals, RSO—and then scan for THC percentage ranges, terpene notes, or strain lineage. Many Andersonville shoppers place an order during lunch or after work, select a pickup window, and then arrive with their ID ready to present at the door. If they are medical patients, they will also have their medical card ready for scanning so the dispensary can check allotment and apply medical tax rates. Payment typically happens via cash or debit, with the total including taxes visible before you authorize the charge. Products leave in child‑resistant packaging; keep that packaging for storage in your vehicle because Illinois open‑container and transportation rules require cannabis products to be sealed and out of reach while driving. Consumption remains limited to private spaces. Using cannabis on the sidewalk, on CTA property, or in a vehicle is prohibited.
The most common questions local buyers ask the staff relate to dose, onset time, and product selection for specific outcomes. Medical patients want clarity about daytime functionality, sleep, or appetite. The Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med) team is used to fielding those questions and will talk through the differences between, for example, a sublingual tincture and an edible, or how a terpene profile might influence perceived effects even at similar THC percentages. That is part of the dispensary’s original medical mission, and it remains a differentiator for people who need a conversation rather than a transaction. Because Illinois’ supply comes from a mix of multi‑state operators and independent in‑state cultivators, product drops can vary week to week. Regulars often ask which batches are particularly fresh or which growers are showing consistent terpene and moisture profiles in their current runs. Staff on Clark Street tend to be candid about quality and will steer patients toward reliable options rather than simply pushing what’s abundant.
Traffic conditions in Andersonville mirror the city’s broader patterns but with a few neighborhood-specific wrinkles. Evening peaks Tuesday through Friday see Clark become a slow roll as diners, shoppers, and buses converge. Weekend afternoons during farmers markets or festivals extend those peaks earlier into the day. Lake Shore Drive can be fast and seamless on a Sunday morning and glacial on a Friday at 5 p.m. The Foster off‑ramp in particular is short, so backups there ripple quickly when volumes spike. If you’re determined to drive during a busy window, it helps to think in segments: get off Lake Shore Drive one exit earlier than you planned, use Lawrence or Bryn Mawr to distribute across Broadway and Ashland, and then finish your approach on a residential street. This is not a trick to avoid traffic altogether, but it turns a single chokepoint into manageable waits. In winter, snow events compress lane widths on Clark and reduce available curb space, so transit and rideshare become more attractive to many neighborhood patients.
A less obvious but important piece of the local context is Andersonville’s emphasis on health literacy and inclusive services. The North Side’s health networks, including LGBTQ+‑friendly clinics and community health organizations, are visible presences in and around 60640. Dispensary 33 has historically supported those efforts through donations and awareness, and that ecosystem connection often translates into staff who are comfortable discussing cannabis alongside broader wellness considerations. It’s common to overhear a conversation about how to titrate a tincture for sleep, or how to balance THC and CBD ratios for daytime anxiety, framed in practical, patient-centered language rather than insider jargon. That tone makes the space approachable for seniors, first‑time medical patients, and anyone who feels wary about asking basic questions.
For people comparing dispensaries near Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med), a theme emerges: proximity and familiarity often matter more than menu breadth alone. Residents in Uptown, Edgewater, Ravenswood, and Bowmanville weigh travel time, parking, and the predictability of the storefront experience as much as price. The Andersonville location wins on predictability because the block-grid offers multiple approaches, transit is strong, and the store’s medical orientation means you’re likely to have a real conversation if you want one. If you prefer to plan your day, preordering and choosing a mid‑morning or mid‑afternoon pickup window avoids the dinner-hour congestion on Clark and reduces your time on the meter. If you ride the Red Line, the walk from Argyle is straightforward, with plenty of coffee and food options along the way if you want to make a quick stop.
The broader Chicago market continues to evolve, and that shows up in patient questions about new formats and cannabinoid blends. Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med) monitors those shifts and cycles educational efforts accordingly, whether that means explaining solventless concentrates to a patient who has never tried rosin, or outlining the differences between fast‑acting edibles and traditional gummies. Medical patients who track symptom relief closely appreciate that baseline of knowledge, and they tend to become loyal to dispensaries that stick with that consistent, medically literate approach. For Andersonville, an area known for strong neighborhood ties and independent businesses, that alignment is part of why this dispensary continues to be a routine stop for patients as much as a destination for cannabis tourists exploring Chicago’s North Side.
One final practical note ties back to Chicago norms. Cannabis laws are clear about what’s allowed: adults 21+ with valid government-issued ID can purchase at licensed dispensaries; medical patients 18+ with a valid medical cannabis card have expanded allowances; out-of-state visitors are welcome within the adult-use limits; consumption is private; and transport must be in sealed containers stowed away from the driver. Locals internalize these rules quickly, which is why you see people in Andersonville take a moment at the counter to put products into their bag before leaving, and why you rarely see anyone treating the sidewalk like a consumption space. The culture here is pragmatic and respectful, shaped by years of normalizing cannabis through a medical lens first.
If you are seeking a calm, informed medical cannabis experience in the 60640 ZIP Code, Dispensary 33 – Andersonville (Med) offers that within a neighborhood that makes daily errands feel connected rather than complicated. Getting there is straightforward if you time it well and choose your route with typical Chicago savvy. Once you’re inside, you’ll find an operation that treats medical cannabis as a serious, personal healthcare choice while still keeping the human warmth that Andersonville is known for. In a city with many dispensaries and growing numbers of cannabis companies, this North Clark Street location stands out for rooting that service model in the life of the neighborhood and the realities of how Chicagoans actually move through their day.
| Sunday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
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| Monday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
| Thursday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
| Friday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
| Saturday | 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
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