Women Entrepreneurs To Seek Woodstock, NY License For Recreational Marijuana Sales
“We want a dispensary that Woodstock could be proud of”
A group of entrepreneurs and social justice advocates believes it is poised to become Woodstock’s first recreational marijuana dispensary once the state opens applications for licenses for such facilities.
“We want a dispensary that Woodstock could be proud of, and that’s a good neighbor and contributes to the town. We just decided in order to have that we’d have to do it ourselves,” said Eliza Kunkel, who along with Erin Cadigan and Lisa Montanus, hope to open Illuminated Leaf at 33 Rock City Road. Each partner of the all-woman-owned business has specific roles and for now, Kunkel will be in charge of social justice, equity, operations and compliance.
“For me I’ve long been kind of a marijuana advocate in the fact that I believe in legalization as well as release of criminal charges and expungement,” said Cadigan. “I myself actually am not a cannabis user since probably my 20s, but I have worked in the legacy market for over a decade.” It is important, Cadigan added “to keep it out of the hands of multi-state and multinational corporations who see it just as a way to make money…I like to think of what we specifically are doing as kind of a for-profit company with a not-for-profit heart. We have an extremely strong social equity plan, both what we’re planning to do with our hiring practices and pay, as well as our community give-back.
“Our corporate percentage for philanthropy is going to start at 3% and hoping to hit 5% by year five. Included, of course, are the town taxes, which will just really be great revenue for the town of Woodstock,” said Cadigan, who is in charge of marketing and branding.
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