Dank Poet Dispensary and Cannabis Clubhouse opened dispensaries in the Northwest New Jersey counties of Sussex County and Warren County, where few are located.
While most of the dispensaries are in more progressive Democratic towns, a few are in more libertarian Republican places.
For now, they will not have the distance concerns that have hit many of the pro-cannabis towns where dispensaries find properties that are too close for comfort.
Dank Poet Dispensary Opens in Warren County
Dank Poet Dispensary has opened in Washington Borough in Warren County. The term “Dank” is used to describe weed that smells very good.
They will be one of the few there since it is a politically conservative area.
The Dispensary Guy visited the Dank Poet Dispensary after it opened. Dank Poet Founder and CEO told him they wanted to educate people and make them feel welcome. He was also happy to note they have a newer manufacturer Lily Extracts. They also have Brute’s Roots (which Heady NJ has an ad deal with full disclosure.) He said they plan to have more brands, too. Caruso also sought to emphasize their local roots.
“We celebrate the literary and visual arts, showcasing a variety of genres and fostering a deeper connection between the plant and storytelling. Every product, event, and interaction is an invitation for our authors and muses to join a dialogue – not just about cannabis, but about culture, wellness, and community,” they said on their LinkedIn page.
Dank Poet Dispensary won its New Jersey cannabis dispensary micro license last October from the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC). So, the Dank Poet Dispensary is cozy at 1200 square feet.
They hosted a political debate at a town hall last fall.
New Jersey Cannabis Dispensary Ownership Background
According to his LinkedIn profile Caruso has a background as a professor and managing a CBD store in town. He was in Colorado when they legalized medical cannabis, according to an article about the Dank Poet Dispensary. He explained he moved back to New Jersey in 2018 when the possibility of a legal New Jersey cannabis industry became real.
On a podcast Caruso explained that he likes the arts, which is why “poet” is in the name. He also hopes the dispensary revives the town of Washington Borough. Caruso advocated to the town for them to support legalization.
He noted how hard it was to build the business before finding good partners.
Dank Poet Dispensary has a page on its website about the details of the legal status of cannabis home grow in New Jersey, which remains a felony. They refute the notion that it would hurt the legal cannabis industry.
Dank Poet Chief Financial Officer and partner Sonia Mangalick has a background in business, according to her LinkedIn profile. Chief Operating Officer and partner Deborah Snow has a unique background as well. They are both from New Jersey.
Weighing in on Federal Cannabis Legalization Issues
She was asked by MarijuanaVenture.com how federal legalization of interstate commerce would affect them.
“Allowing interstate commerce would be a boon for mom-and-pop companies like ours. At present, the illicit market circumvents state boundaries, and the prevalence of Delta 8 and Delta 9 products further saturates the market. Meanwhile, the immense financial clout of multi-state operators often leaves smaller businesses at a disadvantage,” she said.
Often larger cannabis corporations are especially worried about the underground market and Delta 8’s effects on their profit margins.
“By legalizing interstate commerce, local dispensaries could substantially increase their supply, leading to reduced prices for consumers. Furthermore, it would grant us access to a more diverse range of craft strains from specialized growers in neighboring states, enriching our product portfolio and enhancing our appeal to connoisseurs,” Mangalick added.
Most New Jersey cannabis advocates and professionals have acknowledged the need for more brands and strains.
(Dank Poet Dispensary photo above courtesy of The Dispensary Guy)
Cannabis Clubhouse Opens in Sussex Borough
The Cannabis Clubhouse New Jersey dispensary has opened at 70-72 E Main St in Sussex Plaza in Sussex Borough in Sussex County.
They have also been open for a little while.
The Cannabis Clubhouse award letter was sent to owner Danielle Zill-Barry in Wantage in Sussex County.
She previously operated a CBD store there, according to the NJ Herald. Zill-Barry was previously a realtor with an office also in Sussex County. She worked closely with a consultant named Michael O’Leary to open the Cannabis Clubhouse.
They also won their conversion to the annual dispensary license needed to open last October. However, they were initially voted down at the September 2023 meeting of the NJCRC due to questions regarding paperwork. They were first removed from the agenda of the July 2023 meeting of the NJCRC. In the written comments section, Zill-Barry said she hadn’t heard of an issue with her Cannabis Clubhouse dispensary license. Commissioner Krista Nash was suspicious of them both times.
They initially won their conditional license for a micro dispensary at the September 2022 NJCRC meeting.
Zill-Barry secured Sussex Borough Planning Board approval for Cannabis Clubhouse in November 2022.
They offer a 10 percent discount to official New Jersey medical cannabis patients and a 15 percent discount to veterans.
Cannabis Clubhouse was among the few cannabis companies lucky enough to win a grant from the NJ Economic Development Authority (NJ-EDA).
