Savannah hemp store owner blames new state law for business struggles
The new regulations outlawed several popular hemp products, including hemp flower
Updated: 12:33 AM EDT Jun 20, 2025
A Savannah hemp business owner says a new Georgia law has dealt a major blow to his business — so much so, he was forced to shut down part of his operation just months after the legislation took effect.”Give us a chance to do business legit, like we have already been doing. Give us a break,” said Mike Johnson, owner of Hempire Hut on MLK Boulevard.Johnson told WJCL 22 News’ Tia Maggio he had no choice but to temporarily close his physical storefront two months ago. The “open” sign at Hempire Hut has been dark ever since.He blames the sharp decline in sales on the Georgia Hemp Farming Act, signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp last October. The law introduced stricter limits on THC levels in hemp-derived products — restrictions Johnson says caught him and other retailers off guard.”I hate it. I hate the law. Don’t think that it’s a good idea. It put a strain on me for this business,” Johnson said.The new regulations outlawed several popular hemp products, including hemp flower, one of Johnson’s biggest sellers.”We have seen a major impact with the customers,” Johnson said. “They decided to take flower and make it illegal in the state of Georgia. That was the majority of our profit.”As a result, shelves once lined with products now sit empty. Sales dried up, and Johnson moved his business online. But he says that shift came at a cost — both financial and personal.”It’s more personal to have people coming to the store and you be able to build relationships and you be able to help them with their ailments and help them heal and see the growth over time,” he said.Still, Johnson isn’t walking away.”The passion for it is still always going to be here. I just may need to reconsider how I do business and where I do business,” he told WJCL.He hopes to reopen his brick-and-mortar location by August.Meanwhile, broader change may be on the horizon. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Attorney General had started the process of reclassifying marijuana, moving it from the strictest category of controlled substances to one with recognized medical use. That process, however, has yet to be finalized.
A Savannah hemp business owner says a new Georgia law has dealt a major blow to his business — so much so, he was forced to shut down part of his operation just months after the legislation took effect.
“Give us a chance to do business legit, like we have already been doing. Give us a break,” said Mike Johnson, owner of Hempire Hut on MLK Boulevard.
Johnson told WJCL 22 News’ Tia Maggio he had no choice but to temporarily close his physical storefront two months ago. The “open” sign at Hempire Hut has been dark ever since.
He blames the sharp decline in sales on the Georgia Hemp Farming Act, signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp last October. The law introduced stricter limits on THC levels in hemp-derived products — restrictions Johnson says caught him and other retailers off guard.
“I hate it. I hate the law. Don’t think that it’s a good idea. It put a strain on me for this business,” Johnson said.
The new regulations outlawed several popular hemp products, including hemp flower, one of Johnson’s biggest sellers.
“We have seen a major impact with the customers,” Johnson said. “They decided to take flower and make it illegal in the state of Georgia. That was the majority of our profit.”
As a result, shelves once lined with products now sit empty. Sales dried up, and Johnson moved his business online. But he says that shift came at a cost — both financial and personal.
“It’s more personal to have people coming to the store and you be able to build relationships and you be able to help them with their ailments and help them heal and see the growth over time,” he said.
Still, Johnson isn’t walking away.
“The passion for it is still always going to be here. I just may need to reconsider how I do business and where I do business,” he told WJCL.
He hopes to reopen his brick-and-mortar location by August.
Meanwhile, broader change may be on the horizon. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Attorney General had started the process of reclassifying marijuana, moving it from the strictest category of controlled substances to one with recognized medical use. That process, however, has yet to be finalized.
