New CBD Store in Southaven Banks on a Doctor-Backed Trust Factor

SOUTHAVEN, MS – March 23, 2026 – Amidst a landscape populated by vape shops and online retailers, a new CBD storefront has opened its doors on Goodman Road with a distinct mission: to replace market confusion with medical-minded clarity. HEMP+VILLE, a family-owned business, is betting that in the booming but bewildering world of hemp products, trust is the most valuable commodity. The store's opening this week provides North Mississippi residents a new brick-and-mortar option dedicated to demystifying CBD through transparency and education.

Founded by Ben Couey, the venture is deeply rooted in personal experience and a professional lineage steeped in healthcare. This background, Couey asserts, is the driving force behind the company’s meticulous approach to product vetting and customer interaction, aiming to create a reliable resource for a community navigating the wellness wave.

A Crowded Field Demands Differentiation

HEMP+VILLE enters a competitive and established market. The Southaven area already features a number of dedicated CBD stores, including national franchise locations and local independent shops. Brands like Sunmed and others have carved out a presence by promoting organic ingredients and their own third-party testing. Online retailers also vie for the attention of Mississippians, offering doorstep delivery. Customer reviews for existing local retailers consistently reveal a demand for knowledgeable staff and high-quality, effective products, signaling that consumers are becoming more discerning.

In this environment, simply opening another store is not enough. HEMP+VILLE’s strategy hinges on positioning itself as an educational hub, one that prioritizes a consultative process over quick sales. The company aims to distinguish itself not with flashy marketing, but with paperwork. By making third-party Certificates of Analysis (COAs) readily available for every product, they invite scrutiny and empower customers to verify the purity and cannabinoid content of their purchases. This commitment directly addresses a major pain point for consumers who, according to founder Ben Couey, often feel overwhelmed by a sea of online ads when searching for local options.

From Personal Search to Public Resource

The story behind HEMP+VILLE is not one of jumping on a market trend, but of a personal quest for answers. Founder Ben Couey comes from a family with eleven doctors, pharmacists, and nurses. This upbringing gave him a front-row seat to the triumphs and limitations of conventional medicine. Following a personal loss, Couey began exploring alternative wellness avenues, a search that ultimately led him to hemp-derived products.

His experience was twofold: he saw the potential benefits but also the alarming lack of regulation and reliable information in the market. This inspired the creation of HEMP+VILLE. “We’re not here to sell a miracle cure,” Couey stated in the company’s announcement. “We’re here because I wanted a trusted CBD store for my own family. That means we check the lab reports, we vet the growers, and we put products on the shelf that we actually use ourselves.” This philosophy—building a store he would want his own medically-savvy family to shop at—forms the core of the business model. It reframes the retail experience from a simple transaction to a trusted exchange of information.

The Gold Standard of Transparency in an Unregulated Market

HEMP+VILLE’s emphasis on transparency is particularly significant within Mississippi's regulatory framework. While the state legalized hemp-derived CBD containing less than 0.3% THC in 2020, its specific laws regarding product labeling remain less developed than in other states. The industry is largely overseen at the federal level by the USDA for cultivation, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to establish comprehensive regulations for CBD products. This regulatory gap leaves consumers vulnerable to mislabeled or contaminated products.

This is where the Certificate of Analysis becomes critical. A COA from an accredited, third-party laboratory is considered the gold standard for accountability. It provides a detailed breakdown of a product’s cannabinoid profile, confirming its potency and legality, while also screening for harmful contaminants like pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents. By making these documents a central part of the customer experience, HEMP+VILLE aligns itself with the most reputable national brands and addresses a fundamental need for safety and verification. Their approach effectively creates a self-imposed standard of quality in a market where official oversight is still catching up.

A Consultative Approach to Wellness

Walking into the new Southaven storefront, the intention is to feel less like a patient in a clinic and more like a partner in a conversation. The company’s ethos is reflected in its staff training, which focuses on understanding a customer's lifestyle, goals, and concerns before ever recommending a product. The store stocks a diverse range of formats, from tinctures and edibles to topical creams, acknowledging that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

“A lot of people walk in feeling overwhelmed,” Couey noted, explaining that the goal is to slow down the process. “Whether someone is looking for CBD rejuvenation after a long week or just a consistent product for daily calm, we want them to leave with something that fits their life.” This consultative model aims to build long-term relationships rather than chase one-time sales. It’s a quiet but deliberate pushback against the hype that often surrounds the industry. By focusing on the individual and providing clear, verifiable information, HEMP+VILLE is working to become a neighborhood fixture where residents can stop guessing about their CBD and start feeling confident in their choices.