BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The rollout of New York's recreational marijuana law continues to crawl forward. Now, several prospective small business owners are looking for a slice of this budding industry.
The adult-use marijuana law was passed in March of 2021, and it took until this July for Buffalo's first cannabis shop, Dank 716, to open. On Tuesday, the Buffalo Common Council received 20 cannabis dispensary notices for new shops.
Armond June was one of the business owners who submitted a notice. He has his heart set on transforming a Chicago Street building into a craft cannabis boutique. June is the co-founder and CEO of Revival: Pharm. Lab. Market.
"It's really gonna be an all-encompassing facility just like the breweries you see around here," June said.
June said his team will be cultivating and manufacturing in the 16,000 square feet building while also offering a retail dispensary and a community room for events. June said the business also has a scientific advisory board to work on product development and assist customers with questions or medications. The business started in 2021 and it's now moving forward with plans after the Office of Cannabis Management opened license applications in early October.
"We've been preparing for this for about 2 and a half years so it was great to finally see the window open," June said.
June said having property only expedites the process of obtaining a license.
"The City of Buffalo is pretty positive about cannabis including the mayor so we're really excited about that," June added.
Aleece Burgio, a lawyer and cannabis legal expert with Colligan Law LLC, said the momentum around the cannabis industry will be stronger once the licenses are awarded. She said we could see more storefronts open as early as 2024.
"It's just how quickly the rollout will happen is anybody's guess," Burgio said.
June said he's hoping to hear about his application soon for a business he says will be for the community.
"It's more than just a dispensary. It's more than just a place to pick up weed. It's an experience that what we're building here," he said, "We hope that we'll be here for a while and be one of the staples in this community."
