Recreational Pot Shop To Open In Lynn
LYNN (CBS) -- A new recreational pot shop on the North Shore is about the open its doors, but neighbors are concerned about traffic.
The owner of Apothca expects as many as 1,000 people to walk through the doors Saturday when it becomes the first store in Lynn to offer recreational pot to customers. To avoid a mess on the Lynnway, they have a message for drivers.
"It's the first store in Lynn, on the Lynnway and the second closest to Boston," said Joseph Lekach, CEO of Apothca. "Go park at 98 The Lynnway. It's the former Porthole restaurant where there will be complimentary shuttle service."
Inside the shop, there is a variety of marijuana flowers, pot-laced gummies and chocolates and existing medical marijuana products.
Customer Alex Evans said he was pleasantly surprised by the experience of visiting a pot shop for the first time.
"It was medicinal before, and I think there are a lot of benefits even recreationally," Evans said.
It's been nearly three years since Massachusetts voters legalized pot for adults 21 and older. Lekach said he was surprised it's taken the state so long to give Apothca a recreational license, but that it was well worth the wait.
"It's been a long road for us, but at the end of the day, we're here!" Lekach said.
So far, the state has approved nearly 200 pot shop licenses. Worcester County has the most licenses in the state, but Essex County, where Apothca is, has 17.
The store will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
