Living in Portland, OR that experience is wild to me. All of the shops I’ve been to don’t have any guards, just an employee during the required ID check.
Wish I didn’t have to use an ATM though.
Since I was just curious and don't really consume weed, and wanted to buy something to bring to a friend's place as a gift, I just GTFO. The whole experience was awful and time-wasting, though I guess if you're a pothead wasting time isn't a concern.
My experience in CO was far superior. The place I went to there didn't even have the entrance doors closed, it was like going into a tourist shop selling overpriced t-shirts but instead it was marijuana products. The prices were ridiculous, but at least it didn't feel sleazy or like a huge unnecessary waste of my time where a hold-up may occur at any moment.
And like you I call my guy who sends me a list of at least 5-6 different strains, two regular strains he will always have (king and platinum kush), always fresh, with volume pricing up to pounds. Then he shuffles strains and special items like prerolls, edibles, exotics in jars, and oil carts. So there's always a variety. Plus free door to door delivery. So our experiences are similar and the reason why the legal market has yet to catch up with the black market.