Shuttered Secaucus cannabis dispensary could reopen under new ownership, in different part of town

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After a tumultuous period that included the closing of the dispensary and the ousting of its CEO, Hudson County’s first ever cannabis store could reopen in a different part of Secaucus under new ownership and thanks to potential changes to the town’s zoning laws.

Harmony, which previously had a dispensary on Castle Road in Secaucus’ industrial area, is looking to reopen under a new name at 30 Wood Ave., in a commercial area of the town near Route 3 that features multiple motels and a couple small strip malls.

The new development comes after Harmony went through alleged financial troubles that were said to have been brought on by its former CEO, Shaya Brodchandel. The aftermath saw the closure of the dispensary last November and the sale of Harmony to Illicit Gardens, a Missouri-based company.

Adam Diltz, the COO of Illicit, which purchased Harmony’s assets, said the proposed location is “off the beaten path” and “was the only (one) that made sense for us to stay here.” He expects to open the new Secaucus dispensary by the end of this year.

“It was a collaborative effort with the town,” Diltz said on the process. “They want us here, we want to get a dispensary opened as quickly as possible. We didn’t acquire a company to just sit on a license. We have a responsibility to our investors and everything to try and start to monetize that acquisition as quickly as possible.”

After purchasing Harmony, Illicit is the top candidate to open a new dispensary in town, Town Administrator Gary Jeffas said. A proposed ordinance by the Town Council that is expected to be voted on later this month would allow for Illicit’s new location by expanding where cannabis businesses are allowed.

“The mayor and council were looking at areas … to have the zoning fit and what made the most sense where they just felt it was responsible to keep it out of the central business districts, which was their goal all along,” Jeffas said, who added that the zone would abide by a 1,000 feet cannabis buffer from schools and churches.

Castle Road is the only area currently zoned for cannabis. Expanding the zoning was being discussed before Illicit targeted Wood Avenue, Jeffas said, noting that Harmony’s landlord had prohibited any cannabis businesses there, Jeffas said.

The ordinance would also cap the number of dispensaries in town to two. Harmony, which initially opened for medicinal sales in 2018 and expanded to recreational in 2023, was the only dispensary in town before it closed. Another proposed dispensary, Floro, is looking to open on Castle Road in a different building.

While the area around Wood Avenue and the Meadowlands Parkway has a reputation for crime and suspicious activity, Diltz says he’s “confident” in Illicit’s security plans and that that it will be the “catalyst” in reviving the area. Jeffas also said he doesn’t see any issues with a dispensary opening there.

A court-appointed custodian that oversaw Harmony alleged in court documents that Brodchandel left the company $15 million in debt due to millions in losses on failed businesses, hundreds of thousands of dollars for unused spaces and other missteps. Brodchandel was eventually removed from the company by a judge.

In a April 25 report, Allen Wilen, the court custodian-turned-receiver, wrote that Harmony had defaulted and was evicted from its Jersey City location, and is negotiating with Hoboken after the city revoked its approvals for a dispensary there.

Illicit is currently operating Harmony’s cultivating and manufacturing facility in Lafayette, Sussex County, and it has regained its recreational licenses.

Diltz said the odds of opening in Jersey City and Hoboken are “very low” and is seeking other locales to open two more dispensaries with the spare licenses it got from Harmony’s assets.

“We really hope to let people know that we put a strong focus on being a good member of the community,” Diltz said. “We put so much of our focus on the quality of our products and customer experience and try to do everything we can to keep everyone happy.”