August 29th 2023.
The Apollo Theater is about to get a new neighbor in the heart of Harlem. According to The New York Post, Gotham Buds, a cannabis shop, will be opening its doors on September 5th. While it may seem as though opening a cannabis shop would be a smooth process, the owners of Gotham Buds faced a lot of opposition from local merchants and politicians.
The problem wasn't just opposition, but also a lawsuit filed by the 125th Street Business Improvement District. This, coupled with the fact that only 23 licensed cannabis retail stores had opened since New York legalized the plant, made the situation even more complicated.
However, a judge ruled that cannabis regulators may have broken the law when granting earlier licenses, but granted an exemption to Gotham Buds and nearly two dozen other cannabis operators after they cleared all regulatory hurdles and were on the verge of opening.
The shop’s three co-founders, Omar Tejada, Gregory Gray, and Jeffrey Lopez, are excited about the opening. Tejada, who is also a co-founder of the shop, expressed his hopes of becoming part of the 125th street legacy and to earn the trust of the community. Gray, who is a lifelong Harlem resident, wants to use the shop as a platform to provide medical information to the community. Lopez, on the other hand, used to be on the illegal side of selling cannabis and now has the opportunity to do it legally.
Though the men faced opposition, they are confident that the people in the neighborhood will welcome them. With Gotham Buds opening, it will be interesting to see how the community embraces it.
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