New Cannabis Retail Store Opening In Passaic County

HALEDON, NJ — A new legal cannabis retailer in Passaic County is getting ready to welcome customers to their "revolutionary space where community and cannabis converge," with a grand opening on Sept. 30.

Molly Ann Farms is opening at 265 Belmont Avenue in Haledon with a ribbon-cutting at noon that Saturday, and the sales floor will open immediately afterwards. The celebration lasts from 12 to 4 p.m. with free food, giveaways, and reggae music.

The store is more than just a place to buy recreational weed, said co-founders Gabriella Wilday and Gian Lombardi. The team is focused on creating an enjoyable, easy experience for their customers and cultivating a community atmosphere.

Wilday and Lombardi said they were excited to "begin embodying a positive role model for the legal, regulated cannabis industry," and also to further cannabis reforms.

"We are not just a store; we are a movement aiming to spread happiness across our employees, our customers and the communities we serve," said Wilday, who is CEO. "At Molly Ann Farms, customers aren't just customers; they are members of a community rooted in common ground. "

Molly Ann Farms also touts "minimal wait times, an exterior pick-up window for pre-orders and an enormous parking lot."

"With a diverse selection of cannabis products to cater to every budget and personal budtenders to guide the shopping experience, we strive to make every visit both convenient and special," Wilday said.

Haledon's mayor Michael Johnson and municipal officials are scheduled to lead the opening ceremony with first responders, the retailer said in a news release. Molly Ann Farms has provided more than two dozen job opportunities to people in the area, including those with cannabis convictions, Johnson said in a news release.

"Molly Ann Farms has shown an exceptional commitment to being a positive force in our community," he said. "Their inclusive hiring practices, which have already provided opportunities for 25 individuals, including locals, women, and those with prior cannabis convictions, truly encapsulate the spirit of renewal and growth we champion in Haledon.”

Haledon's council granted local approval in March 2022 for Molly Ann Farms to open at the site. Opening a cannabis business in New Jersey requires both state and municipal approval.

State regulators approved a retailer license for the business in February 2023.

"After 18 long months since receiving our municipal approval from Haledon,we are beyond thrilled to open our doors and begin embodying a positive role model for the legal, regulated cannabis industry," said Lombardi, who is the COO. "Our journey does not stop here; we are committed to furthering cannabis reforms, with legal home grow in New Jersey at the top of the list."

The business is a few minutes away from William Paterson University; Wayne's Township Council voted in April 2021 to ban recreational weed businesses from operating within the township.

The closest other dispensary offering medicinal or recreational cannabis is RISE, a Paterson business that offers both.