Bear’s Smoke Shop Finds Its Place on Main Street in LeRoy

If you walk into a smoke shop expecting a wall of cigarettes and chewing tobacco, Bear’s Smoke Shop on LeRoy’s Main Street may surprise you. This is not a grab-a-pack-and-go kind of place. Instead, the family-owned business is built around where smoking culture has moved, focusing on vapes, hemp-derived THC products, edibles, glass, and accessories, with an emphasis on quality, education, and connection with customers.

Bear’s Smoke Shop is located at 110 West Main Street in LeRoy. Owner Abraham Algadi said from the beginning the goal was to listen closely to what people actually want, not what a smoke shop was expected to look like years ago.

“When people hear smoke shop, they think tobacco first,” Algadi said. “But the market has changed. Vapes, hemp products, and accessories are where people are going now, and that’s what we built around.”

That difference becomes clear quickly. Bear’s Smoke Shop does not routinely stock traditional chewing tobacco brands such as Kodiak, nor does it carry loose leaf tobacco or cigars as standard inventory. Algadi said the decision comes down to freshness, quality, and customer demand.

“These products are organic, and quality drops if they sit too long,” he said. “We don’t bulk buy just to say we have it. If someone wants something specific, we do special orders and take care of them that way.”

That flexibility has shaped how the store’s inventory has developed over time. Algadi describes Bear’s Smoke Shop as a place for hemp products, vapes, and accessories that make the experience smoother and more enjoyable, rather than purely transactional.

Among the shop’s top sellers are hemp-derived THC edibles, particularly WYLD gummies and Drops brand edibles, both produced by West Coast companies and compliant with Minnesota law. On the nicotine side, disposable vapes such as Geek Bars, Just brand disposables, and Kado Bars are popular, with flavors and brands adjusted regularly based on what customers are asking for.

Glass and accessories make up a large portion of the shop as well, including pipes, water pipes, and batteries. Algadi said customer education is a key part of the business.

“We spend a lot of time explaining products and answering questions,” he said. “We want people to understand what they’re buying before they leave.”

The decision to open in LeRoy was not the original plan. Algadi said he and his family first explored locations in Byron, Rochester and Stewartville, but zoning challenges, existing competition, and availability pushed them to widen their search. When a storefront opened on Main Street in LeRoy, it felt like the right fit.

“There was some skepticism at first,” Algadi said. “It’s a small town, and people joked that we were going to be the weed shop. But once they saw how seriously we take compliance and how we treat customers, that perception changed.”

Algadi said he has noticed steady growth in LeRoy since opening, with nearby businesses updating storefronts and new development underway.

“It feels like the town is moving forward,” he said. “We’re proud to be part of that.”

While Bear’s Smoke Shop sells hemp-derived THC products, it does not sell cannabis. Algadi confirmed that a separate cannabis dispensary is in development under a different business entity called Zenith Horizon. The dispensary will operate out of a fully separated and secured space connected to the existing building, with its own entrance at 110B West Main Street.

“All cannabis has to be grown and sourced in Minnesota,” Algadi said. “The industry is still young, growers are getting licensed, and supply is catching up to demand.”

If timelines hold, the dispensary could begin stocking inventory in late January or early February. Algadi said the most challenging parts of the process have been the paperwork and physical build-out required to meet regulatory standards.

Bear’s Smoke Shop is currently open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. The shop is closed Sundays. Customers can reach the business through Facebook Messenger or email at bears1smoke@gmail.com, both of which Algadi said are monitored closely. All customers must be 21, and ID checks are strictly enforced.

Looking ahead, Algadi said he hopes Bear’s Smoke Shop becomes known as a responsible place that focuses on accessories and hemp products while positioning itself for Minnesota’s emerging cannabis industry.