“There’s no feeling like accomplishing a goal that literally took five years of blood, sweat and tears,” a founder of The Library said.
WEST ORANGE, NJ — It took a half-decade of “blood, sweat and tears,” but a new cannabis dispensary in West Orange finally has an opening date – and the owners of The Library couldn’t be more ecstatic.
A grand opening will take place for the town’s newest recreational marijuana dispensary from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1-3 Washington Street. The event will include giveaways, vendors, a DJ and a food truck.
In addition to flowers and edibles, visitors to The Library can expect to find a refined atmosphere, with fine art on the walls – including a real Picasso drawing. The collection – which also includes historical documents such as stamps and memoirs – will be curated monthly to include a local artist.
Learn more about this local business here.
It’s been a long journey for The Library’s founders, Charles Penn and Corey Dishmen. Both businessmen have roots in the area: Dishmen is a Seton Hall University alum, and Penn grew up in Maplewood and South Orange.
The two cannabis entrepreneurs announced that they wanted to open the state’s first Black-owned recreational dispensary in 2021, shortly after New Jersey voters legalized weed. Dishmen said the dispensary will operate on four principles: “community, education, equality and equity.”
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The decision to pursue their dream was easy. But the journey to getting state and local approval didn’t prove to be so simple.
Along the way, Dishmen and Penn had to overcome challenges such as securing property, building a brand and forging industry relationships. They also had to navigate the local approval process in West Orange and the state licensing process in New Jersey, something that required some serious patience.
The Library’s founders have embraced one of the fundamental reasons for legalization – righting the injustices of the past – as a big component of their dispensary. While waiting for the red tape to clear, they held multiple community outreach events, including an expungement clinic for people with marijuana convictions and donating school supplies.
See Related: NJ Denies It Hasn’t Licensed A Black Owner Since Legalizing Weed
The Library nailed down a coveted microbusiness license from the state and a key letter of support from the West Orange Town Council in 2022. “This was a win for the underdog,” Dishmen previously told Patch. “We worked tirelessly for two and a half years – but now the real work can begin.”
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Penn and Dishmen finally scored a local retail license and got site plan approval from the West Orange Planning Board last year. Now – five years after putting the wheels in motion – an official opening day date is on the books.
Penn and Dishmen said this weekend’s grand opening will be a rewarding experience on a personal level.
“I feel extremely humbled and blessed to be finally opening our doors to the community,” Penn said.
“There’s no feeling quite like accomplishing a goal that literally took five years of blood, sweat and tears,” he added. “I thank God, my family and all those who have supported us on this journey.”
Dishmen said that opening day is “such a relief,” but added that he “wouldn’t have changed anything” about how it all played out.
“The obstacles and challenges were plentiful but we managed to persevere through for our families and for this community,” Dishmen said.
“The journey absolutely tested us, but it helped us grow closer to God and our faith has increased exponentially over the past five years,” he said. “All I can say now is that we are grateful to all those that have helped and supported us along the way – but we are ready to show New Jersey what we are made of.”
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