"I got my license at the end of 2022, and the process has been grueling, but we definitely pulled through, Van Roten told Brooklyn Paper. There was pushback because of the stigma still around cannabis. But at the end of the day, it was such a welcoming opening from the community. Opening a dispensary wasn't really just a business move; it was personal, Van Roten said. This neighborhood has its own rhythm and soul, and we wanted to build something that truly belongs here."
"In New York, you think bagels, pizza, Italian food and a lot of people think cannabis, he said with a laugh. Pizza is sustainable in one aspect, but both of them are community things. Your local pizza place, your local cannabis store you go where you feel comfortable and where the products are good. The community is what keeps you going."
Chrome Flwrs opened Oct. 29 as Greenpoint's newest legal cannabis dispensary at the corner of Nassau Avenue and Humboldt Street. Owner and CEO Greg Van Roten, born in Brooklyn and a local business owner for over three decades, secured a license at the end of 2022 after a grueling approval process. The launch faced community pushback tied to cannabis stigma but received a welcoming opening from neighbors. The shop's design blends modern and warm elements with a layout that encourages conversation. Van Roten frames the dispensary as a community service akin to his Bed-Stuy pizza shop, emphasizing local roots and product quality.
Read at www.brooklynpaper.com
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