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With 6,800 square feet and 64 parking spaces, Molly Ann Farms in Heldon is probably the largest legal cannabis shop in New Jersey. The family-run store will open to the public on Saturday with music, food, swag and a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Located about 35 minutes from Newark at 265 Belmont Ave., the store features 26 well-trained budtenders, offering a unique shopping experience to consumers. The hours of operation are 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
The town of Haledon has been working hand-in-hand with the cannabis company to bring the store plans to fruition. They are a large part of the township’s efforts to revitalize its downtown area. The mayor, along with the administration, first responders and other elected officials are slated to take part of the ribbon cutting that begins at noon.
“Molly Ann Farms has shown an exceptional commitment to being a positive force in our community. Their inclusive hiring practices, which have already provided opportunities for 25 individuals, including locals, women, and those with prior cannabis convictions, truly encapsulate the spirit of renewal and growth we champion in Haledon,” said Mayor Michael Johnson.
“Yes, of course, we’re partners with the local municipality because they’re getting 2% of the revenue, but I truly feel like it is a partnership,” said Gabriella Wilday, co-founder and CEO of Molly Ann Farms.
“When the chief of the fire department hand delivers your CO (certificate of operations) to you, that says something,” said Wilday. “When they’re calling you every day while you’re waiting to get the final authorization to operate from the state, when they’re calling you or texting you every day and saying ‘hey, how are we doing?’ I think that says a lot about the community and their willingness, openness and friendliness to this new industry.”
“Molly Ann Farms has been at every Haledon council meeting since August of 2021. We went to learn what the community needs, like less stress on street parking,” said Gian Lombardi, co-founder and COO of Molly Ann Farms.
“We’re also using Haledon Police Department off-duty officers for part of the security that we need,” said Lombardi.
Their partnership with the city informed what building they chose to purchase and even helped the brother and sister duo choose a name for their shop. The location already had a large parking lot because it was formerly a funeral parlor.
The shop is owned and run by brother and sister duo, Gian Lombardi (COO) and Gabriella Wilday (CEO).
“Our 64 parking spots are adjacent to the Molly Ann Brook, which runs all the way from Franklin Lakes to Paterson and the Passaic River,” said Wilday. “We have such a great relationship with the Haledon community that we felt like we wanted our name to pay a little bit of tribute to this area.”
“We wanted to provide you know, the surrounding communities with a really convenient place. Someplace where you don’t see lines curved around like airport security and with plenty of space to park,” she said.
“Really what was important to us was to optimize the experience for the two different types of users: those that want to really kind of engage with people when they walk into a dispensary, versus engaging with a kiosk; and those that just want convenience, that know what they want and don’t want to spend a lot of time,” Wilday said.
“We’re gonna have to cater to people of all ages, 21 to 90 year-olds; they all have very different needs and all different levels of experience,” she said.
While this shop has no kiosks, it features a walk-up window where customers can pick up pre orders they placed on the store’s ecommerce site. For those that need more guidance, the staff has spent over 40 hours learning about cannabis and the products that are offered in New Jersey.
This shop has no kiosks, but features a parking lot with 64 spaces and a walk-up window where customers can pick up pre orders they placed on the store’s ecommerce site.
Decorated with reclaimed wood and glass, the owners mean for the shop to feel like a farmhouse or a cozy community space. They want to offer their customers a place to hang out and talk about cannabis, get their questions answered and be a part of the community.
Molly Ann Farms carries products from the 10 licensed cultivators and manufacturers in New Jersey such as Columbia Care, Verano, Green Thumb Industries, AYR, Ianthus and others. This includes brands like Dog Walkers, 1906, Cookies, Gage, Kind Tree and Airo.
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Gabby Warren is NJ.com’s Cannabis Life reporter. She’ll be covering all things weed retail, commerce and culture.