Brown Budda New York, Southampton's first cannabis dispensary, opens; Riverhead's first retail shops set for fall

The first cannabis dispensary in Southampton Town located outside the Shinnecock Reservation opened last Friday while the first two dispensaries in Riverhead are set to open within the next two months.

Brown Budda New York, owned by business partners Marquis Hayes, 44, a chef, and Kim Stetz, 56, a psychotherapist, launched with curbside pickup and delivery on County Road 39 in Southampton Friday, about two weeks after receiving their state license, Hayes said.

“We’re trying to cater to a specific niche market and aim to be like the Amazon of delivery covering from Montauk to Brookhaven,” he said Tuesday. Brown Budda is awaiting Southampton planning board approval to open their retail space. A hearing on the proposal is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday.

In Riverhead, both dispensaries would be second locations for the businesses.

Strain Stars, which opened in East Farmingdale in 2023, is planning to open in a vacant 14,400 square foot commercial building at the corner of Route 58 and Kroemer Avenue in Riverhead. Beleaf, which opened in Brooklyn last month, is converting a 3,200 square foot space in the Calverton Commons complex on Middle Country Road in Calverton for a dispensary.

The shops will join three other retail dispensaries that have opened so far, all in the town of Babylon. 

The Riverhead locations comply with town zoning rules that allow dispensaries within 1,000 feet from homes if they lie on commercial corridors. The town approved the zoning change in March after acknowledging that earlier versions were overly restrictive.

“We want to make sure that it’s a one-stop shop for everything cannabis related,” said Yuvraj Singh, 25, Strain Star’s CEO.

A Riverhead location seemed like a good fit, Singh said, since many customers at their flagship location travel from eastern Long Island. He is aiming to open before Thanksgiving Day.

Beleaf owner Michael Reda said his proposed location became eligible after Riverhead changed its zoning rules.

Reda, 38, said Beleaf will have "a little bit of everything" at a range of prices and the business is focused on giving back to the community by supporting local organizations and educating consumers.

“There’s such a vast variety of products on the market … different ways to consume and have beneficial impacts,” he said. “It’s not just to smoke and get high.” Reda anticipates opening by the end of October or early November.

Renovations are underway at both locations, which must obtain certificates of occupancy and a final state inspection and approval before opening.

Beleaf is also planning a third location in Medford, at 262 Middle Island Rd. The shop was approved for a three-year special permit on Sept. 18 by the Brookhaven Town Board of Zoning Appeals, town records show. Several others are awaiting approvals, town Councilman Neil Foley said Tuesday. 

Dispensaries opening could inject the towns with tax revenue.

Under state law, a 4% tax goes to the municipality where a dispensary is located. A quarter of that revenue goes to counties and the rest goes to the town, city or village.

Babylon Town has collected more than $1.8 million from cannabis sales from two shops. A third dispensary, Planet Nugg, opened in East Farmingdale last month.

Riverhead Supervisor Tim Hubbard said in an interview he welcomed the dispensaries. “It can’t happen soon enough as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “The tax money that we’ve been losing by not having this up and going is incredible.”

The town board has not determined how revenues raised from marijuana taxes would be allocated, Hubbard said.

Though two dispensaries are on the horizon, zoning remains a barrier for other businesses. 

Brian Stark of Merrick is seeking to open a shop on the north side of Route 58 in Riverhead, but town officials have objected due to its proximity to school property. But state rules say dispensaries must be at least 500 feet from schools and located on the same street for the requirement to apply.

Officials from the state Office of Cannabis Management said Thursday the department has received several "unreasonable and impractical claims" and may review local laws before issuing an advisory opinion but declined to comment on Stark's specific claim.

Stark, 44, said he is awaiting for guidance from the state.

“I’m hoping they find a pathway for me through a variance because I’m ... 100 feet away from that lot line. You can’t see the school, it’s not affecting anything,” he said.

With Carl MacGowan and Joe Werkmeister