A business owner in Schenectady County has been awarded one of the state’s first retail dispensary licenses.
Earlier this week, the New York State Cannabis Control Board approved 36 Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) licenses.
Out of a pool of more than 900 applicants, Don Andrews is one of four business owners in the Capital Region selected for this license.
“It's super surreal. It feels like a dream,” said Andrews.
Andrews currently owns a couple businesses. In 2012, he opened Vaped City Smoke Shop in Scotia, then Upstate CBD in 2019 with locations in Schenectady and Glenville.
Because he also has a past cannabis conviction, he fit the bill for one of these licenses.
CBS6’s Briana Supardi asked him what’s next.
“Next, we are waiting for the Office of Cannabis Management to give us what our next steps would be, which would be more documentation and also a delivery system - how we’re going to run our delivery services,” said Andrews.
Andrews says he is still waiting to hear from OCM about a turn-key operation – something the state will provide those approved for this license.
DON ANDREWS: “We’re going to open –not open–but start a delivery service this year until the turn key process is available.”
CBS6’s BRIANA SUPARDI: “And what is that delivery service going to look like? Are you going to be working with different platforms, like Uber?”
DON ANDREWS: “We are unsure at the moment. We’re still waiting to hear back from the OCM with all that.”
While the coming weeks will be busy for him, it’s something the business owner says he’s looking forward to.
“I’m sure there’s always going to be some bumps in the road along the way, but I’m ready to handle that,” said Andrews.
“I’m excited for what the future holds and where we’ll end up,” he said.
CBS6 reached out to OCM to get an update on the turn key operations for the Capital Region and also details on the guidance the agency will provide on a delivery service system, but we’re still waiting to hear back.