ALBANY — The owner of a delayed marijuana dispensary, due to a state Supreme Court injunction blocking new retail license processing, has partnered with an online retailer and delivery service to sell cannabis products from a trailer ahead of its opening.
Royale Flower is selling cannabis products from a trailer set up outside its upcoming store at Loudon Plaza, 350 Northern Boulevard, in Albany. It teamed up with E-commerce platform Canterra to offer almost 200 cannabis products from New York-based growers, processors and the Albany-based THC and CBD gummy brand, Pure Bliss. The trailer runs from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The sale is part of the state “Cannabis Growers Showcase” initiative. Despite the injunction, the Office of Cannabis Management’s program allows New York growers and processors to sell their products through licensed retailers to customers. Matthew Krupp, Canterra’s chief executive officer, said the “showcase” event aims to connect residents with some key players in New York’s marijuana industry.
“It gives everybody in the Albany community a chance to really connect with that community since without a legal retailer they’re not able to do that,” Krupp said. “Whether it’s from a trailer in a parking lot or from a storefront or wherever, it’s a much better prospect to support the legal ecosystem than really it is to go to one of the unlicensed stores.”
There are also local dispensaries operating that opened before the injunction, including in the cities of Schenectady and Rensselaer.
On Wednesday, Royale Flower staff were seen selling cannabis products, including marijuana, pre-rolled joints, vapes and gummies inside the trailer. Nearby, a table displayed Pure Bliss gummies and blunts and joints from Sugarhouse Farms, marijuana growers based in Cooperstown.
Nick Polsinelli, CEO of both companies, described the sale as a chance for growers to not only gain exposure, but “educate the communities and destigmatize cannabis while stores are being built and getting ready to get open.”
Crews inside the upcoming Royale Flower store were readying for its opening. Although the retailer expects construction to be completed in three weeks, the opening is ultimately contingent on the injunction being lifted. When that happens, the showcase event will transition indoors, selling products in-store until the end of the year.
The injunction shutting off the state’s marijuana retail licensing program was issued over the summer in response to a lawsuit filed by four service-disabled veterans who accused regulators of unlawfully prioritizing applicants with prior drug convictions while excluding others.
State Supreme Court Justice Kevin R. Bryant had initially agreed to allow those with pending applications and who met all licensing approvals prior to when his order was issued in August to go forward. But in a follow-up order, he reversed course and said the injunction will remain in place for all pending applications.
Royale Flower owner Christine Richardson said she received her license to run her upcoming store a few weeks before the injunction. She plans for her store to feature phone chargers in a seating area, alongside a big screen for customer orders. She plans to continue using the trailer for selling cannabis products at weddings and other gatherings, while also hosting marijuana-related events at the store.
“Everybody has rolling paper and everybody learns how to roll a joint. The first one to finish or the best roller gets a gift certificate for somebody in the plaza,” Richardson said.
H/T: www.timesunion.com
