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This guest column is from Paula Collins, EA, Esq., a tax attorney dedicated to the cannabis industry and a co-founder of the NY Consortium of Cannabis Accountants. She can be contacted at paula@paulacollinslaw.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of NY Cannabis Insider.
And then there were 19.
New York State now has 19 licensed businesses from which to buy legal weed.
Take that in for a moment! 19!
And sincere congratulations to all business owners who have jumped through innumerable hoops to get to this place.
In case you’ve not been paying attention, the steady staccato of openings across the state have created a wave of excitement that we desperately needed.
FlynnStoned opened in Syracuse on June 15, to much relief by the owner, who promptly threw a block party to celebrate. It’s been a long haul for this particular business owner!
In the western part of the state, Greenery Spot LLC opened in Johnson City on June 28. This is a welcome bright spot for the Binghamton area. Congratulations to the owners!
Statis Cannabis Co. opened on Thursday, July 6, at 4:20 p.m. This shop is exciting to me for so many reasons. It is the state’s first women-owned, minority-owned dispensary, and it is in the infamous New York City borough of the Bronx. I have not visited yet, but I can’t wait to take a train ride up to 817 E. Tremont Ave. and take in the good vibes.
Sacred Bloom opened in Vestal on July 7 at 4:20 p.m. If you don’t know, Vestal is on the other side of Binghamton from Johnson City. That makes three licensed dispensaries for Broome County, New York, when you recall that Just Breathe opened in February 2023.
On Saturday, July 8, Strain Stars opened in Farmingdale. I think these owners must either be magicians or archaeologists for finding real estate on Long Island that met all zoning requirements. I hope that Long Islanders from near and far make their way over to welcome the new shop to the scene.
Stage One Dispensary opened in Rensselaer on July 8 at the former Rensselaer County Bank. How cool is that! When I think of Rensselaer, I think of the Amtrak Station. Now I have another reason to go to Rensselaer. The website boasts a wide array of products that intrigue me.
Fourteen shops are currently open to the public. Smacked Village, on Bleecker Street in Manhattan, is temporarily undergoing its permanent buildout. That is the shop closest to my dwelling, and so I anticipate its reopening with enthusiasm.
Another four operations are licensed for delivery only. And be very clear, we will have many more grand openings in the weeks ahead. I am aware of several CAURD-licensed businesses that are getting closer to opening each day. I think we will hit 20 and beyond before July is finished.
I wish I could do bios on each and every business owner. I look forward to learning more about the shops, and to visiting them for many years to come.
Each business owner, investor, and employee has taken a unique path to get them where they are today. The CAURD licensees went through hell just to qualify to go through hell in the licensing process. Each farmer has literally gone through sweat, and probably tears (possibly blood, sweat, and tears?), to get their products on the shelves and then into the hands of customers.
Whew. Finally – things are looking up. By no means is cannabis in New York a “get rich quick” scheme.
I have no snarky comments for you today. (Sorry if that disappoints some readers. Sometimes, even I get tired of hearing myself croon.)
I have nothing but congratulations, respect, and admiration for the people who have brought us to 19 licensed retail cannabis businesses in the great State of New York.
Many thanks to these brave and persistent people for leading the way for the rest of us. I hope all readers join me in wishing them success on these new, historic ventures. It’s up to us to make this New York cannabis thing work!