Photos by Visit Ludington
The Hempire Collective
Premium. Craft. Cannabis. The Hempire Collective takes a craft approach to their cannabis. They go above and beyond at every step of the cultivation process, so you get a product that is enriched with care and nurtured with an emphasis on quality.
Our Story
Inspired by a family member’s suffering and supported by family investments, The Hempire Collective is a family-owned and operated business. It was the first licensed medical cannabis grow operation in Isabella County, Michigan, and has now opened a store in Scottville, Michigan.
Hempire was started because the Porter family, with mom Judi at the helm, witnessed firsthand the medicinal qualities that cannabis has to offer cancer patients and veterans suffering from anxiety and PTSD. In 2014, a beloved brother and son, Tai Porter, left the U.S. Army after ten years of service, and was diagnosed later that year with a rare form of stage four kidney cancer. After seeing how cannabis helped to alleviate Tai’s pain due to his cancer symptoms, manage his anxiety and PTSD following his military service, and significantly improve his overall quality of life during his final days, the Porter family discussed becoming patient caregivers. They fully appreciate and understand how cannabis can help cancer patients and those suffering from anxiety and PTSD, as well as relieve symptoms for many other chronic illnesses.
Whether you’re looking for the sedative effects of an Indica strain, or the energizing properties of Sativa, The Hempire Collective has you covered.
The company itself was founded in 2018, cultivation opened in 2019, and the first dispensary opened in 2020. Hempire was started on the principle of quality over quantity, and the company takes a craft approach to their cannabis. What does that mean for you, the consumer? It means a cultivation-oriented, cultivation-first product that emphasizes the technique of growing, the medium of how you’re growing, the genetic strains you’re growing, and the atmosphere you’re growing in.
The cultivation building was originally a 6,000 square foot pole barn and only half the space was used during the first phase of development. The space has since been expanded to 12,000 square feet of cultivation, a dispensary, and office space. And now the family has opened a store in Scottville, Michigan.
Translation: they care about the quality of their cannabis, and it shows.
A True Family Business
The Hempire Collective is truly a family endeavor as Judi and her sons Tre, Mario, and Allen were the first majority owners, to later be joined by two other investors, their uncle and his family, and a family friend who was also formerly Judi’s boss.
Chad Paulsen is the Master Grower at The Hempire Collective and he keeps a close eye on all plants, watching their growth progression and only harvesting the flower when it’s truly ready. Chad is also considered extended family to the Porters as his mother, who died in 2001, was Judi’s best friend.
The family keeps costs down by only outsourcing certain services like legal and accounting, with the rest of the work being done by the Porters and their extended family and friends.
Products
You can order online or visit the store to purchase any of the stellar products offered. This includes flower, cartridges, edibles, concentrates, prerolls, immature plants, CBD, topicals, drinks, accessories, and paraphernalia.
The Hempire Collective’s selection of edibles is second to none with offerings of gummies, brownies, crispies, pretzel sticks, and cookies.
And in addition to their own brand, they offer products from Cannabee, Glorious Cannabis Company, MKX Oil Company, Rkive Reserve, STIIIZY, Shattered Thoughts, and True North Collective.
