When New York State first announced the legalization of cannabis back in 2021, many entrepreneurs were quick to throw their hat in the ring for one of the highly sought after legal dispensary licences.
Early on that list was local entrepreneur Lucas Dobbins. Now more than four years later, Haze & Harvest is poised to open its doors in February 21st.
Located at 6772 Route 31 in the plaza adjacent to Walmart in Newark, workers have been putting the final touches on what Dobbins has been envisioning for the past several years.
"I want to create a safe place for people to become educated on cannabis and hopefully remove the stigma," said Dobbins who notes his family’s legacy as pharmacists has helped guide him in this endeavor.
Though many may simply see dollar signs, Dobbins said he "truly believes in cannabis" under the proper settings and notes the rigourous testing that goes in to legalized marijuana.
So far, Dobbins says the support from the community, local officials and even law enforcement has been phenomenal.
While dealing with the NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has been both financially and mentally demanding, Dobbins, along with store manager Deb Smith, say they’re now through the worst of it and are excited to finally open their doors.
Smith, who will be helping to run day to day operations, said Dobbins is "One of the most honest people I know" and said she looks forward welcoming the community inside to see what they’ve been working on,
Over 100 vendors, many of which are local, will be featured in-store including Honest Pharm Co. of Newark who Dobbins says has been integral in guiding him through the process.
The store expects to employee 12 people to start with the possibility of more jobs coming in the future.
Haze & Harvest will join several other legal dispensaries in Wayne County including Macedon’s Native Haze and The Coughie Shop in Wolcott. Additionally, two more shops are slated to open soon in Ontario and Palmyra.
To find other NYS licensed dispensaries in your area, visit cannabis.ny.gov/.
