First Retail Marijuana Shop In Boston Area Opening: What To Know

BROOKLINE, MA — The first recreational marijuana shop in Greater Boston will open in Brookline this weekend and so many customers are expected that some may be turned away because of overcrowding concerns. The New England Treatment Access (NETA) store on Washington Street will open its doors Saturday, March 23, at 9 a.m. Officials expect hundreds will show up.

"It's hard to say an exact number, but we saw over a couple thousand people out in Northampton, so we think it will be at least that many," said Amanda Rositano, director of compliance at NETA.

Town officials have expressed concern about traffic in the area and are encouraging visitors to take public transportation as their parking lot will be closed. Part of the plan NETA outlined for Brookline officials last month called for a line that would zig-zag through the parking lot and wrap around the building, which sits at the corner of Route 9 and Washington Street up to White Place. NETA officials said if the line got longer than that, they would turn people away, or ask them to make an order online and come back and pick it up through a separate express line.

Parking will be limited and there will be some 15 or 16 police officers on detail helping traffic. One trick to the opening day and managing traffic is the Green Line D branch trolley service between Kenmore and Reservoir Stations will be temporarily suspended this weekend for signal work. Shuttle buses will run instead.

"For people traveling to Brookline Village this Saturday, other options (aside from the shuttle bus service mentioned above) include the Route 66 bus and the Riverway stop on the E branch of the Green Line," MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in an email.

Select Board Chairperson Neil Wishinsky echoed that at a press conference Friday.

"I do hope you'll take advantage of the T," said Wishinsky.

There won't be shuttles because of the options for public transportation, said Rositano.

NETA's Northampton marijuana shop was the first to sell recreational pot in the state last fall. NETA Brookline opened in 2016 to sell medical marijuana.

Rositano said the menu of options -including edibles, vape pens and smokeables - will be available online ahead of the opening. She encouraged visitors to take advantage of the pre-ordering to avoid having to wait in a long line.

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