Salem Says No To Two Highland Avenue Marijuana Store Proposals

SALEM, MA -- Salem will not offer an opportunity to negotiate agreements to Sanctuary Medicinals and Terpene Journey to open retail marijuana stores, according to a Facebook post by Ward 5 City Councilor Josh Turiel. Salem and state officials have already approved two stores, and are discussing agreements with three potential operators to claim the two remaining licenses the city will make available.

Sanctuary Medicinals wanted to open a store at 400 Highland Avenue and Terpene Journey had planned to open at 376 Highland Avenue. Both locations are in Ward 4 of Salem. Ward 4 City Councilor Tim Flynn, who has been a vocal opponent of the two stores and backed an effort by residents to petition local officials to block the stores, praised the decision.

"I am glad to see that the locations proposed at 400 Highland Ave and 376 Highland Ave will NOT BE advancing to the next step.," Flynn posted on Facebook Thursday morning.

Turiel said the city was working with the following proposed stores:

• Atlantic Medicinal at 297 Highland Avenue
• NS Alternatives at 207 Highland Avenue
• INSA at 462 Highland Avenue

"This entire process is new to everyone, and having just served on the group that evaluated all the proposals I can say there was an enormous amount of reading, studying, and learning to do," Turiel posted on Facebook.

Seagrass, which wants to open a store on Dodge Street, has negotiated its agreement with the city and is now awaiting final approval from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission. Salem rules cap the total number of stores at four, meaning one of the three applicants will not be allowed to open in the city.

"Should Seagrass complete their licensing, I'd expect to see them open sometime in the middle of next year (or possibly later)," Turiel said.

Alternative Therapies Group is expected to open Salem's first retail marijuana store at 50 Grove Street later this month. It would be one of the first stores to legally sell marijuana for recreational use in greater Boston.

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Patch file photo via Shutterstock.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).