The owners of a proposed retail marijuana store on Bainbridge Island announced Wednesday their new store will open in a few weeks.

Bainbridge Island residents Brendan Hill and Steven Kessler said the legal pot outlet, called Paper & Leaf, will be Bainbridge’s first licensed recreational cannabis shop.

“I am very excited to be a part of this new industry,” said Brendan Hill, a longtime Bainbridge Island resident as well as a father of three and the drummer for the iconic band Blues Traveler.

“Legalization is a big step toward eliminating the unregulated black market, bringing it under a system that prohibits sales to minors under 21,” he said. “Our goal is to provide a friendly, safe and welcoming atmosphere where adults can come to learn about and purchase cannabis products.”

Kessler said the pair’s new venture is part of a wider cultural shift toward marijuana use.

“It is time for the stigma of cannabis to change,” he said. “I feel that the ‘war on drugs’ has been a complete failure. Cannabis access to our youth and the prevalence of non-violent offenders filling our prisons have made me realize this is something bigger than just a pot shop.”

The store will be located at 8040 Day Road West, in a 1,800-square-foot space formerly occupied by Blue Sky Woodworks.

The inside of the store features the design work of Bainbridge architect Devin Johnson of Johnson Squared and Thom Jones of Semigood Designs, and includes a 12-foot natural elm slab table from neighboring business Coyote Woodworks.

The owners said the vibe of the store is “more Apple store than dispensary.”

The business has started advertising for employees. They plan to open in mid-June, and said the store will carry a full variety of pot products, including cannabis-infused lotions and tinctures.

The business also plans to gain a medicinal endorsement for Paper & Leaf as soon as the Washington State Liquor Control Board begins issuing them later this year.