New Bedford’s First Recreational Cannabis Store Reveals Tentative Opening Date
NEW BEDFORD — Just one final state inspection, and New Bedford residents will finally get the city's long-promised recreational marijuana dispensary.
That's according to Ascend New Bedford General Manager Philipp Angeles, who told WBSM News that it's not yet possible to confirm a set date — but the company's marketing team is tentatively aiming for an opening at the end of January.
"Right now, there is no firm date," Angeles said, adding that the team's "target" of Jan. 30 would "hopefully" come to fruition "if everything was to go according to plan."
In the works for at least two years, the Ascend cannabis dispensary — a 5,000 sq. ft. facility located at the former Fairhaven Mills building at 115 Coggeshall St. — will be New Bedford's first recreational pot shop.
It received full approval from the city's Planning Board in April 2021 and had previously estimated possible opening dates in late 2021 and then in mid-2022, before finally setting its sights on early 2023.
Google is already showing the Jan. 30 opening day on its search results page, although the date is written in orange, indicating caution.
"We get a lot of people knocking," Angeles said with a laugh, adding that questions about the opening day are by far the most common — and his usual response is that he wants to know, too.
The dispensary is awaiting final approval following an inspection currently scheduled for next week, Angeles noted.
"It's the waiting game," he said. "But we're ready, we're excited!"