Business & Tech
Old Friendly's In Manchester Could Become Cannabis Facility
Another cannabis store has been proposed for the Buckland Hills section of Manchester — this time the old Friendly's.
MANCHESTER, CT — The old Friendly's restaurant in the Buckland Hills commercial district in Manchester could become the town's latest cannabis facility.
Manchester planning officials Monday said that a Planning and Zoning Commission application has been submitted that requests a special exception for a change of use at 240 Buckland St., the former Friendly's.
The change would to be to a "hybrid," (medical and recreational) cannabis facility, officials said.
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No "significant physical changes" are proposed for the site, and the plans show the cannabis facility looking a lot like the Friendly's:
No formal regulatory timetable has been announced for the proposed change.
Find out what's happening in Manchesterfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Friendly's property has been on the market for some time. In 2018, the restaurant closed temporarily to re-format it to an automated concept featuring kiosks. In March 2020, it was announced that the establishment would close permanently, with all 27 positions being eliminated.
It's the second cannabis facility proposed for Buckland Hills since May. A PZC application is on file requesting a special exception permit for "retail cannabis sales" at 101 Hale Road. Planning documents show that is a vacancy in a small strip plaza adjacent to the Petco location.
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