Definitely this.Considering aromatic smokers outnumber us 4-1 I'm not too worried about them.
The reason the McNiels gave for shutting down was correct as far as it goes but the deeper truth is they were getting older and didn't wish to sell to anyone. And the fact that their facility was sitting on top of some primo KC real estate.
kcghost and I have known Mike and Mary for a long time. Getting good leaf without changing things that had been in place at McClelland for decades was the issue---not that it was literally unavailable---and both had reached retirement age. If younger, they would have taken it in stride.
Add to that physical demands (Mike had a long list of shop tasks he never trusted anyone else to do right, and never would delegate), and their shop's neighborhood having gone from light industrial to prime project land for re-development by a billionaire, and the time was right for them to kick back and enjoy the fruit of their labor.