Quincy's first recreational marijuana shop could open next year

QUINCY – A local business owner hopes to open the city's first recreational marijuana shop next year.

Ron Affsa, who owns Hair Place One on Hancock Street, plans to open Quincy Cannabis Co. at 715 Washington St. near the Fore River Bridge.

Affsa said he's waiting for final state approval, which could take up to seven months, and still needs to go before the zoning board before moving ahead.

"It's incredibly difficult to find zoning for a marijuana facility in Quincy. It's very limited and you have to be in an area zoned industrial, but its a great place for us," Affsa said. "There are no residents immediately nearby, no schools or parks nearby. ... It's going to be great."

The company Cadella, doing business as Quincy Cannabis Co., has already signed a community host agreement with the city, Affsa said. Quincy would get 3% of the shop's total profits.

"The legal maximum a city can get is 3% of the gross income, and we went straight to the top. It's going to be a great thing for the city," Affsa said. "My other business really does a lot for the community. We've been in the city since 1972. I'm going to do the same with this business."

Affsa said he's already formed a partnership with A New Way Recovery Center, a Quincy addiction treatment facility, and plans to donate at least $5,000 per year of profits to its operations.

Affsa said he's been working to open his shop since recreational marijuana was first legalized in the state more than five years ago. Quincy is one of the few communities on the South Shore that voted to allow recreational sales in the community. 

"It was the will of the people. They voted for it in 2016," Affsa said. "We are the seventh-largest city in the state and I think it's about time we offer cannabis to our residents. ... It's not a seedy drug store, it's high end and a really nice place to shop. The neighbors have been really welcoming, we haven't heard a single negative comment. It's just me and my business partner. We're a mom and pop." 

Quincy has a robust medical marijuana facility in Ermont on Ricciuti Drive, but Quincy Cannabis Co. is the first recreational facility to reach this stage in the city since 2016. 

"We're looking forward to the robust public process that will be taking place in the coming months," Chris Walker, chief of staff to Mayor Thomas Koch, said Thursday.

Original Source: https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/12/09/quincy-cannabis-co-open-citys-first-recreational-marijuana-shop/6449781001/