Authorities Raid 2 UWS Illegal Weed Shops Near School: Report

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Authorities last week raided two illegal weed shops in the Upper West Side located less than a block from Brandeis High School, according to a report citing District 6 council member Gale Brewer.

The raids occurred at Holiday Candy Convenience at 493 W. 84th St. and 85 Convenient Store at 523 Amsterdam Ave. near West 85th Street, Brewer told the West Side Spirit. Both businesses are located near the Brandeis High School Campus, which houses five schools.

It's unclear what agency conducted the raid, but Holiday Candy Convenience has since reopened, the Spirit reported.

"The reason I focus on this one is they are within 500 feet of Brandeis High School," Brewer told the publication. "Liquor stores are never, not to mention illegal stores, are not supposed to be close to a school."

A December 2022 survey conducted by Brewer's office found 26 unlicensed cannabis retailers in the Upper West Side. The survey of 61 bodegas, delis, smoke shops, and newsstands also found that 22 of the 26 retailers also sold tobacco products, several of them without a license, according to public data.

“There is no ambiguity in the law, it’s illegal to sell cannabis without a license, but there’s
ambiguity in who should enforce it," Brewer said in 2022 after calling on city and state officials to
come up with solutions.

In a May 2023 letter to the state Office of Cannabis Management, Brewer said none of the illegal retailers had closed and five new stores had opened since the survey was conducted.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this report listed an incorrect address for 85 Convenience Store. The article has been corrected.