Opening Of Riverhead's 1st Recreational Cannabis Dispensary Delayed

RIVERHEAD, NY — Those waiting to welcome Riverhead's first recreational cannabis dispensary — originally set to open on Black Friday — will have to wait just a little bit longer.

The opening of Strain Stars, the Long Island dispensary that says it has more sales than any other dispensary in North America, has been pushed back to early December, a release said Wednesday.

With the opening, Strain Stars will have a second location, in Riverhead, at 1871 Old Country Road. In July, 2023, Strain Stars, Long Island's first state-approved cannabis dispensary, opened in Farmingdale.

The new, and second, adult-use cannabis store means that Strain Stars will become Long Island’s first chain of legal, licensed dispensaries.

The new location will be a 14,000 square foot superstore located on Old Country Road, at the corner of Kroemer Avenue.

Since opening in Farmingdale, Strain Stars has sold more than $100 million in cannabis products, making it the highest performing dispensary in North America over that period, a release from the business said.

"It’s been an incredible whirlwind ride since we first opened on that hot summer day in 2023," said Jasmin Kaur, CFO of Strain Stars. "That morning, our family never imagined we were launching America’s #1 legal cannabis dispensary, we just wanted to do right by our neighbors and customers on Long Island. Long Island has shown up for us in such incredible ways, and we want to do right by them."

Kauer added: "Opening a second location, the first dispensary in Riverhead, will make it easier for many customers to get their favorite cannabis products. But this isn’t just about selling cannabis; it’s about building community, giving back to our community. We are immigrants and family business, and we know education is the key to success in this nation."

The business plans to give back through the new "Strain Stars New Hour Endowed Scholarship Program" with Farmingdale State College, which will grant scholarships to students whose parents have served prison time.

Strain Stars is a family owned and operated chain of dispensaries, started by a family of immigrants, who were negatively impacted by cannabis prohibition, they said. That impact allowed them to receive a conditional adult use retail dispensary license from New York State.
Since opening, Strain Stars has donated $100,000 to Farmingdale State College to launch a scholarship fund and partnered with New Hope Long Island to launch a career development program.

Beleaf, a second recreational cannabis dispensary in Riverhead, is also scheduled to open soon at Calverton Commons on Middle Country Road.