WASHINGTON:  Once a customer enters Mill Creek Ste. A, a new marijuana retail outlet in town, it isn’t long before they’re greeted by a clerk.

The clerk will ask if this is their first visit to the store, followed by questions to discern what the customer is looking for.

The one-on-one consultation at Mill Creek Ste. A, a retail pot store behind Mill Creek Natural Foods, is not unlike a boutique clothing store, which is exactly what owner Mary Van de Graaf wants.

“I want to keep that small, intimate shopping experience,” she said.