SEYMOUR – The first recreational marijuana retailer to set up shop in the lower Naugatuck Valley held its grand opening Wednesday (Oct. 9).
Rejoice, a cannabis retailer, is located in the Seybridge Plaza, 39 New Haven Road, in the former Trilogy restaurant space.
The Seymour store is the second location for Rejoice. They opened a store in Meriden earlier this year.
The Seymour store (recreation only) offers both walk-in and online sales of a variety of recreational cannabis products, including flowers, pre-rolls, edibles, vaporizers and concentrates. Prices range from around $30 for a pack of five pre-rolled joints to $55 for a quarter ounce.
The potency of the products, including how much THC they contain, vary. The staff at Rejoice are called “budtenders.”
“A lot of people aren’t as educated in the different forms of cannabis and the different types of consumption and we’re here to answer all their questions,” said Miranda Carbajal, one of the store’s workers.
When a customer walks into the store, they must show a valid ID proving they are at least 21 years old. Staff members are stationed at computers to help those go over the product menu, and to check people out who have pre-ordered their products via Rejoice’s website.
Mark Rubie, the store operating manager, said the Seymour location is a great fit for Rejoice, who spent about $500,000 in renovations to the space.
“There wasn’t anything in this area,” Rubie said. “There’s a lot of excitement going into your first dispensary. Being able to bring that to a new area and not worrying about super-close competition is big for us.”
The next nearest dispensary is in Naugatuck.
Rubie said he hopes to hit around $300,000 a month in sales in Seymour. If that pans out, and with state law designating three percent of sales going to the town coffers, Seymour would collect $9,000 in revenue per month.
According to an article in the Record Journal, Rejoice in Meriden and Zen Leaf, another dispensary in Meriden, generated $11.8 million in sales citywide in their first 18 months of opening. That meant some $300,000 went to Meriden’s coffers.
In Torrington, monthly revenues have been about $15,000 a month from cannabis sales, according to an article in the Register Citizen.
Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis, on hand for the grand opening, said she’s always glad to see a new business open in Seymour.
“Having Rejoice in town is something different for Seymour; we are unique and we are very progressive here,” Drugonis said.
Drugonis noted the town has an ordinance in place, that the Board of Selectpersons approved in March 2022, that prohibits people from smoking or consuming marijuana in public places, which includes town-owned property, such as sidewalks, parks, fields, playgrounds and municipal buildings.
The ordinance also bans smoking pot in outdoor sections of restaurants in town.
Individuals found in violation of the ordinance face fines of $50. Businesses face fines of $1,000.
Seymour resident Heather Smith attended the grand opening. She used to travel about two hours to Massachusetts for cannabis products before Connecticut legalized recreational marijuana in Jan. 2023.
“I think it’s great having Rejoice here,” she said. “It’s showing where society is growing and how it’s becoming more acceptable.”
Smith said she uses gummies to help her sleep.
Tammy DesLauriers, property manager for Oakbridge Management, the plaza owner where Rejoice is renting space, said she was glad to welcome Rejoice.
“I’m very happy, they’ve been very easy to deal with,” she said. “This is a great retail establishment that is going to complement the plaza. It will work well for the citizens of Seymour because it will give money back into the town through the taxes paid through revenues.”
While Seymour is the first cannabis retailer to open in the lower Naugatuck Valley, nearby Derby is supposed to get its own store . Derby’s Planning and Zoning Commission approved a site plan in January for a cannabis shop on 90 Pershing Drive. It’ll be built within what now houses Italian Pavilion. That restaurant will remain in business, but it will be much smaller.
H/T: valley.newhavenindependent.org
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