Marijuana becomes major tax source in Maplewood

By Joe Ungaro and Javon Ross
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — It has been one year since recreational marijuana became legally available in Maplewood and the tax revenues are much higher than expected, police report no significant problems and three more dispensaries are poised to open.

“It’s been going well, even better than we thought,” Mayor Dean Dafis said. “The revenue has been beyond projections.”

Only one business in town is currently selling legal recreational marijuana, The Apothecarium on Springfield Avenue, and it brought in more than $500,000 in tax revenue last year. The total puts it in the top 10 Maplewood taxpayers, though significantly behind Winchester Gardens, which is number one paying $1.8 million a year.

When the Apothecary first opened for recreational sales, police were stationed at the scene because of the limited parking situation and because there was a line of people waiting to get in that went outside the front door, said Maplewood Police Chief Albert Sally.

“In the beginning we gave it a lot of attention,” Sally said. “Most of the calls we receive from there now, it’s their alarm goes off.”

The township has issued five licenses, four for retail and one for manufacturing. In addition to the Apothecarium, two locations in Maplewood village are set to offer recreational marijuana, a fourth retail license was issued for a company called Docanna, which is still waiting on state approval, and plans to open at 751 Irvington Ave., where the Razor Sharp Barber is located.

Additionally, an establishment dealing only in medical marijuana is slated to open in the former Dunkin Donuts location on Springfield Avenue.

“They will be doing medical in the beginning but they likely will ask to add recreational,” Dafis said.
The manufacturing license was for OGeez! Brands, which manufactures THC and CBD gummies.
Calls to the Apothecarium were referred to a corporate headquarters in California, which did not respond to a request for information. A number for Docanna could not be found and a call to a representative of OGeez! Brands was not returned.

To get approval to open locally, the businesses had to meet state guidelines and local requirements. And each year they will have to have the license renewed.

“We can put in our own conditions but we get to do an annual renewal and we will follow a process like we do with a liquor license,” Dafis said. “What we do is make sure there have been no issues, public safety, quality of life. Anything that would give us pause.”

The next two businesses likely to be offering recreational marijuana are the Noire Dispensary and Elevated by TheCannaBossLady Dispensary. Both are in Maplewood village and both are minority or woman owned and are classified as “micro businesses” by the state.

A microbusiness is a licensed cannabis related business with a relatively small operation, having no more than 10 employees at one time and a space no bigger than 2,500 square feet.

Giovanni and Sharquana Paul are the owners of Noire Dispensary. They have been selling CBD products for the past two years and have a CBD store location in Denville, which has been open for four years.
The Pauls said they take the responsibility of their business very seriously, being a part of a group of ambassadors that are bringing CBD and THC products into society.

“There is some pressure, but it is also a privilege,” Giovanni Paul said. “We want to make sure that we get it right and make as few mistakes as possible. We also want to be a pioneer and trailblazer, to remove that pressure and stigma of marijuana for later generations.”

The application process to expand into recreational marijuana took more than a year.
“Our application process to expand to marijuana started in January of last year and we did not
get our meeting until May,” Sharquana Paul said. “We were graded by the city council and had to do a public meeting where we were told if we were approved or not.”
They hope to open for recreational marijuana in late Spring.

Jill Cohen, who owns TheCannaBossLady boutique and will be opening Elevated by TheCannaBossLady Dispensary as soon construction work is completed, likely in late May, and after the state does a final walk through and grants approval.

She was endorsed by the township last April and awarded a retail license by New Jersey on Feb 6. She plans to offer consumers a luxury dispensary experience that will feature craft cannabis. The store will be located adjacent to the current CBD shop on 9 Highland Place in Maplewood village.

“We’ve been open two years now,” Cohen said. “We opened up during Covid. Got a great property for a good rent and good terms because landlords were desperate to fill vacancies.”
Cohen said she will keep the CBD shop as is after she opens the dispensary next door because some people prefer CBD because it does not have the psychoactive effects.

To stand apart, Cohen said she will focus on brands that are woman owned and diverse to help them get their foot in the door in a new industry. Elevated will feature craft cannabis from local cultivators like the brand Miss Grass and luxury products from My Bud Vase, Puffco. and Her Highness NYC.
She also believes smaller producers, particularly women, put more effort into their product.

“They don’t cut corners,” Cohen said. “They want the products to be super safe and the whole point of this is to be natural and safe.”
Her dispensary will be similar to her CBD store.
“I’m focused on a personal experience,” Cohen said. “I want people feeling like they are coming into my living room. They can spend time with the staff on strains and terpins. We really take time with customers.”

Some of her strains of marijuana will be less potent “for soccer moms who want to take the edge off, have a little buzz, like a glass of wine or two, but still be able to do things around the house,” she said. “They don’t want to be stoned out of their minds so they can’t get off the couch.”
The dispensary will be open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and she is not concerned about competition.

“My experience and aesthetic is different from theirs,” Cohen said. “We are all sitting pretty because there are only four in Maplewood,” Cohen said. “Millburn, Short Hills, Livingston, all opted out. Everyone will have their own aesthetic and people will buy from who they feel.”

Sally said he did not think the two additional dispensaries in the village would create any problems.
“As far as downtown, just going off of the one on Springfield, I don’t anticipate any problems,” Sally said.

“I think it will be great for our surrounding merchants,” Dafis said of the two village locations. “They are existing merchants engaged in CBD. They each have a slightly different clientele. They have demonstrated being great community partners.”

As evidence of their efforts to be good community partners, Dafis cited the Cannaboss lady hosting an expungement clinic for people previously arrested on marijuana related charges who are now eligible to have those records expunged and Noire hosting a community discussion around domestic violence.

“The Apothecarium has been a great neighbor and community partner,” Dafis said. “They sponsored events, contributed to our municipal alliance. They’ve hosted important community discussions around cannabis and substance abuse.”