Monmouth County's Newest CBD Shop Comes To Red Bank

RED BANK, NJ - New Jersey’s newest all-inclusive CBD shop has landed in Monmouth County.

Dubbed “The Green Room,” the chartreuse-lined storefront in downtown Red Bank touts an original line of CBD-infused gummies, tinctures, smokeables, topicals and even pet treats.

But although the first medical marijuana dispensary in Monmouth County opened in Eatontown in September, it’s important to know that all products at the Green Room predominantly contain CBD, or cannabidiol. Read more: Eatontown Medical Marijuana Shop Opens, First In Monmouth, Ocean

Derived directly from the hemp plant, CBD serves as a cousin of the marijuana plant and is the second-most dominant active ingredient in marijuana. It’s also an ingredient used to treat everything from anxiety, depression, joint pain, disordered sleep and inflammation - not to be confused with the psychoactive “high” ingredient THC found in marijuana.

“CBD is nature’s natural anti-inflammatory,” says The Green Room founder and owner Darek Wajda. “It can assist with anxiety, stress, pain and insomnia. It doesn't give you a head high like marijuana, it gives you a bit of a body high with a lot of relief.”

The Red Bank location, nestled between The Cheese Cave and Mr. Pizza Slice on Monmouth Street, serves as Wajda’s third site in New Jersey. The owner tells Patch that he first got the inspiration to open his flagship Hoboken location after reporting overseas for a major news outlet and coming back to the United States to work as a bar back. Following an eight month stint at a New York City CBD brand, Wajda set out to start his own business, and thus The Green Room was born.

Related: NJ Marijuana Legalization: 5 Things To Know For 2020 Election

“I walked by my first CBD store a few years ago by chance. It was 4 a.m. after a horrible first shift as a barback,” said Wajda. “I was freshly unemployed after leaving my job as a reporter with NBC News in Lyon, France. Ultimately, I got lucky and saw this shop and asked for a job the next day.”

Wajda subsequently opened a Montclair location, quickly eager to open a third storefront by the Jersey Shore:

“I had a few customers tell me to check out Red Bank for another and honestly, it was my first time there,” Wajda said. “[I] fell in love with the town on my first day and knew I wanted to open it there. It’s like an adult version of Hoboken with awesome food, great energy and the beach [is] just 10 minutes away.”

Wajda says he admires the fast-paced nature of the cannabis industry and regularly attends events to stay up to date with products, legislation and rules. According to The Green Room's website, all of the original products are third-party lab tested, with products coming directly from the source (“think farm to table, but … way more relaxing,” the website reads).

“The industry is evolving day by day and it keeps changing faster. It’s awesome to be the people setting the standard in New Jersey for transparency, education and products you love," Wajda said. "I love doing what I do because everyday I get to help people. More and more new customers come in and we get to make a small difference. It was what I originally loved about media. Making a change; giving someone a voice. Now, I get to do that a lot more and throughout my whole day. It’s an amazing feeling.”

But while the businessman says he's ecstatic to have finally opened the Red Bank spot on Aug. 21, Wajda reports that 2020 has been quite the rollercoaster ride.

"Having the Hoboken location open helped a lot," he said. "I had to close Montclair temporarily because I had just opened and couldn’t afford payroll at the time. Hoboken has had our back thought since day one. Having that amazing town show us continuous love and support pushed us to bring it to Red Bank ... the people have loved it so far and the response has been nothing shy of remarkable. People in these towns show me how blessed my team and I are to be doing what we do in a time when people need it most.”

While the business owner says he’s content with operating three stores for now, Wajda has chosen to focus his attention on educating and assisting his growing customer base throughout the Garden State.

“I hope that [new customers] get to learn about CBD and cannabis," he said. "Have a great product and come back again even if it’s just to say hello! Every customer is unique and special to the brand so a lot of our shoppers become our friends.”

Thanks for reading! Got a news tip? Email nicole.rosenthal@patch.com.
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