POUGHKEEPSIE – An alleged illegal cannabis retailer was shut down by city officials on Tuesday on Academy Street in Poughkeepsie. Officers from the city accompanied the inspectors during the visit to 13 Academy Street to inspect the premises from the outside. The store was closed down after the visit only to reopen a few hours later.
The store has been the source of a substantial number of illegally parked “shoppers” who have been parking in the lanes of traffic between Academy and Cannon Streets while they run up to the small “thrown-together” window to pay for their marijuana of choice. The store operator had been posting the availability of a variety of unlicensed cannabis at the shop. The “menu” was written on a dry-erase board and hung in the window to expedite the “shopping” process.
The shopkeeper was warned by police on Tuesday that a crackdown on traffic and parking violators in the vicinity of his store was about to happen. The crackdown followed the physical assault on a parking enforcement officer near the store around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, November 27.
The “weed store” employee told the city officials on Tuesday that he was a clothing retailer, prior to closing up shop for a few hours. On Tuesday evening, the store was in full operation, with customers blocking traffic in order to get their marijuana product of choice.
It is likely that building department officials will issue violations for the illegal modifications in the near future.
H/T: midhudsonnews.com
