Planet Nugg becomes third marijuana dispensary to open in East Farmingdale

Long Island’s third brick-and-mortar, state-licensed recreational marijuana dispensary has opened, and like its two predecessors, it's in East Farmingdale. 

It was a “soft” opening Saturday for Planet Nugg, located on Wellwood Avenue just south of Central Avenue, co-owner David Tubens said. The official grand opening Friday will feature food, a DJ and, in keeping with the store’s galactic theme, people dressed as aliens.

The retail shop joins two other dispensaries in East Farmingdale: Strain Stars, which opened on Route 110 in July of last year, and Happy Days, which opened on Route 109 in January. 

Recreational marijuana was legalized for adults 21 and older in the state in 2021. In addition to Babylon — where East Farmingdale is located — Brookhaven, Riverhead and Southampton have opted into cannabis sales, but no dispensaries have opened yet in those towns.

Under the law, local municipalities where dispensaries are located collect a percentage of the tax revenue. The Town of Babylon has so far collected more than $1.8 million from cannabis sales in East Farmingdale, with the latest check received two weeks ago. The money is being used for the construction and operation of a chemical dependency treatment center in North Amityville.

Tubens, 57, and his partner, Walter Bonilla, 41, originally had hoped to have an on-site consumption lounge in the 11,000-square-foot building. But that plan was shot down by town officials.

“We’d like to see how the retail and delivery service does and I don’t believe any consumption locations would be beneficial at this point,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer.

Unlike the owners of the other East Farmingdale dispensaries, Tubens, of Dix Hills, and Bonilla, of Medford, also own the building. Tubens said he, like many other cannabis retail licensees, struggled to find a location that would allow a dispensary, given strict zoning requirements.

Babylon requires dispensaries be located in industrially zoned areas, outside a 750-foot radius from residences and a 500-foot radius of schools, libraries, parks and any other areas "where minors congregate."

Planet Nugg is taking up 5,000 square feet of the building. Tubens said the rest of the building will be used for educational seminars, including on medical benefits of cannabis and ones directed at parents.

“We want to make it more than just a cannabis dispensary,” he said.

Tubens, who is a chiropractor, was one of the initial state licensees who had a marijuana-related conviction. The state first gave "conditional" cannabis licenses to those who have owned a profitable business for at least two years and either have had a marijuana conviction or have a relative with such a history.

Tubens said he was 16 and on his way to see a concert at Nassau Coliseum with friends who had pot in the car when they were pulled over and arrested. “It was traumatic,” he said. “It really kind of woke me up.”

Schaffer, who didn’t initially support cannabis sales in the town, called Planet Nugg’s approach to include educational seminars “a different take” and he now supports it. Tubens said it also makes good business sense.

“From a business standpoint, I think it’s really going to help us to bring in another part of the population that knows nothing about it or thinks you’re just going to smoke pot and get high,” he said. “It’s not just about that. There’s so much more to it.”

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.