WEST CAPE MAY – Dave Christian has secured the support of West Cape May’s governing body for his plan to open a recreational cannabis dispensary on Sunset Boulevard. He has even set a date for the grand opening of the business April 20, 2023. The only thing missing is a state license.
Christian’s plans for a grand opening center on a date that also translates to a marijuana culture tag, meaning consuming cannabis around 4:20 p.m. and on any given day. In many parts of the country where cannabis has been legalized, dispensaries will offer discounts April 20. Referencing the story of five California teenagers that was popularized in High Times magazine, April 20 has become an unofficial marijuana holiday.
Christian’s plans have made their way to social media, with the added information that he has secured store space for his dispensary on Sunset Boulevard in a section of the business district that the borough has designated for cannabis retail.
A check of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission website shows 16 state locations where medical and recreational cannabis can be purchased. The closest to Cape May County are in Vineland and Egg Harbor Township. A total of 12 dispensaries that were up and running in the first month of retail recreational cannabis sales accounted for $24 million in revenue.
So far, no licenses for any of the state’s cannabis business categories have been awarded to aspiring businesses in Cape May County. Christian hopes to be among the first.
He is bypassing the conditional license process and is going directly for an annual license. If successful, his company, Shorehouse Canna, will be able to hit the ground running, aiming for that iconic April 20 date.
