Construction Starts On Neptune's Latest Cannabis Dispensary, Pink Balloon

NEPTUNE, NJ — A new cannabis dispensary is planned to open in Neptune Township.

It will be called Pink Balloon Dispensary, and it's being built at 3536 Rt. 66, where a small, one-story commercial building once stood. That building was razed in the past year to build the dispensary.

They are currently building a 3,500-square-foot dispensary there, on track to open in late 2025. The dispensary will be a two-story building, with an elevator, and have a modern look.

This will be Neptune Township's second pot shop; there's the existing Zen Leaf, also on Rt. 66 and which opened in 2022. There's also Shipwreck'd, which just opened this summer in Neptune City.

Pink Balloon had their groundbreaking this week, attended by Neptune Township Mayor Robert Lane, state Senator Vin Gopal (Majority Whip, D-NJ 11), members of the Neptune Township Committee and Pink Balloon co-founders Teri Festa and Mike Aquino.

Here's the website for their Neptune shop: https://pinkballoon.com/

Going by its motto "goodbye gravity," Pink Balloon said they want "to make cannabis approachable, safe and welcoming for everyone — from the canna-curious to the canna-seur."

"Pink Balloon focuses on an elevated customer experience, local job creation, community partnerships, education and responsible access," said the company. "Pink Balloon’s Neptune dispensary will serve as a community-minded space designed around intention, care and inclusion."

Zen Leaf (2100 Rt. 66 in Neptune) is the other existing marijuana dispensary in Neptune Township, and there's also Shipwreck'd dispensary in Neptune City, which just opened this summer inside the shopping plaza at 300 West Sylvania Avenue in Neptune City.

“This project is about more than a building — it’s about investing in Neptune’s future, creating jobs and building a space that will serve and uplift the community for years to come,” said Mike Aquino, co-founder of Pink Balloon.

Monmouth County's Newest Pot Dispensary Now Open, In Neptune City (July 2025)

Patch article when Zen Leaf first opened, in 2022