A collective of Wisconsin Vape Shop owners are suing the Wisconsin Department Of Revenue over new law that would require many of their devices to be FDA approved before being sold (story HERE).

“Frank. I don’t vape. Why should I care about all this?”

That’s a fair question. But the truth is that if these shops lose this legal battle, many of them could go out of business.

Do you know what Green Bay has a lot of? Vape and Smoke Shop small businesses. In fact, drive around Brown County, and you’ll find many of these “Mom and Pop” operations are taking up space in shopping centers.

While you may not be one to use their products, the vape industry going under in Wisconsin would have a devastating effect on commercial real estate revenue in the Greater Green Bay area.

That’s rent those property owners won’t be getting. I’m actually surprised Green Bay real estate hasn’t joined the fray here.

And if you’re a resident who cares about appearances, you might be thinking that you would enjoy seeing less smoke shops in the area.

But do you want to know what would be worse than a smoke shop? An empty space. Empty commercial real estate can become an eyesore very quickly and draw a different kind of business activity. The illegal kind that brings the bad element into the neighborhood.

The truth is that whether you’re a vaper, a real estate professional, or simply a concerned citizen, Green Bay is stronger when we have a diversified portfolio of commercial activity taking place in our community. That includes vaping.