New York’s first recreational dispensary opens in NYC at 4:20pm

History was made in NYC Thursday morning: New York’s first legal recreational cannabis dispensary opened and made its first sale. Councilwoman Carlina Rivera’s purchase of Housing Works Cannabis Co. is the start of an emerging industry and a milestone in the decades-long fight to legalize marijuana.

The dispensary at 750 Broadway was one of the first entities in New York state to receive a conditional adult retail use (CUARD) license this November, meaning it is now allowed to sell recreational cannabis. It was one of the first 36 licenses the state issued and one of eight nonprofits to receive a license.

RECOMMENDED: NYC’s Everything Weed Guide: What Marijuana Legalization Means

Housing Works Cannabis Co. welcomed a throng of advocates, media, politicians and supporters Thursday morning to mark the opening ahead of its 4:20 p.m. opening, so we got a sneak peek and witnessed the first legal purchases in the state.

Cannabis sales in New York State have a nice ring to them! 🍃

Come to 750 Broadway at 4:20. We are paving our way to equality! pic.twitter.com/2eA6uQZJHz

— NYS Office of Cannabis Management (@nys_cannabis) December 29, 2022

“It’s been a long road for us to get here,” said Cannabis Oversight Board Chair Tremaine Wright. “There have been a lot of matches and challenges and a lot of people who didn’t think we were going to hit the fourth quarter 2022 goal of opening a store. Now I can say hallelujah, we are here together. [Housing Works] is a great partner to start with… I’m proud to say that we not only started the program, we lived up to our equality goals. We are truly committed to making sure that cannabis and reinvestment in New York State happen simultaneously.”

Here’s what you can expect from New York’s first legal cannabis dispensary:

1. It’s incredibly accessible Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia/Beyond My Ken

Housing Works Cannabis Co at 750 Broadway (or 1 Astor Place) is across the street from the Eighth Street subway station in Greenwich Village and close to the Astor Place stop. The 4,400-square-foot store is located in a former Gap store, so there’s a lot of foot traffic potential. Inside, there is also a ramp up to the store. As long as you are 21 or older, you can make a purchase here.

2. She sells products from BIPOC and women-owned companies Photo: Shaye Weaver/Time Out New York

There will be a focus on smaller businesses (no corporate monopolies here!) owned by BIPOC and women, including Florist Farms, Back Home Cannabis Company, Aryloom and Lobo Cannagar. In addition to apparel and literature about tobacco, cannabis, the mission of Housing Works and more, you’ll find vapes, food, flowers, prerolls and more from these brands. You can read his full menu here.

3. Money from your purchase will go back into the community Photo: Shaye Weaver/Time Out New York

Housing Works says it will put the revenue generated back into the community it serves.

Since 1990, she has been an advocate for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS and has provided life-saving services through entrepreneurial businesses, including her 10 grocery stores and bookstore/cafe in Soho. The dispensary will be its 12th store in NYC and one of many dispensaries it has planned.

“We’ve seen firsthand the devastation of the War on Drugs … especially the most marginalized people — low-income people, and it’s no coincidence that the people disproportionately incarcerated for drug possession and sale are people who are black and Latino ,” Housing Works CEO Charles Tha King said at the opening. “We intend to use the proceeds from what will be more than just a retail store to improve circumstances for other people who have been incarcerated, as well as those affected by the War on Drugs in general.”

“The proceeds generated here will support their work for homeless, formerly incarcerated New Yorkers with HIV, that’s equality — that’s what this front page stands for,” added Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine.

4. It’s big with room for future cannabis activities Photo: Shaye Weaver/Time Out New York

Sasha Nutgent, the retail manager at Housing Works, tells us that Housing Works Cannabis Co. plans to put some educational programs in the basement of the store, and eventually when it gets a license to consume products in the store, there will be activities like smoke. -and-paint.

“We’re really like a very entrepreneurial business,” she says. I think that’s just another way of feeding into that … we’re taking people who are marginalized and bringing them into the cannabis industry, teaching them a lot of things and getting them interested in maybe opening dispensaries. them in the future.”

5. All of her products are tested Photo: Shaye Weaver/Time Out New York

From the moment you walk into the store, there will be markers telling you that it is a legal dispensary with tested products. A QR code on the facade confirms its legal status, and inside, its products have their own QR codes that you can scan to get information – a Certificate of Analysis (COA), test results and where the product came from.

“When you shop here, you know the product is regulated, that it’s safe, you’re buying brands that are led by New Yorkers of color and marginalized communities,” added Mark Levine. “Here at the store, you will be served by a unionized workforce, with good jobs with good pay and good benefits. This is empowering for our community and our city. We are making history!”

Housing Works Cannabis Co., located at 750 Broadway in Manhattan, will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.