Verilife to Begin Recreational Marijuana Sales in Wareham December 18th, Large Turnout Anticipated

WAREHAM – Residents of the south coast and Cape Cod will finally be able to legally purchase recreational marijuana soon.

Verilife will be the fourth recreational marijuana store to open in the state, and the east coast, on December 18.

Verilife, part of a PharmaCannis chain based out of Chicago, opened in Wareham in May as a medical marijuana dispensary.  

The business had its final state inspection on Wednesday, to which the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission issued a notice to commence full operations.

Verilife Executive Director Shelley Stormo says several thousand customers are expected on Tuesday. Stormo says to ensure that as many people can be served as possible, the store will be limiting sales based on their surplus of product, which she estimates to about 800 customers in the opening days.

“We have a lot of great wholesale partners across the state. Our model is to carry the best products from various cultivators, so we’re working with them to ensure a steady supply, although there will certainly be limits on purchasing the first day and probably beyond just to make sure we can get quality product into as many people’s hands as possible,” Stormo explained.

“We’re going to start out with 800 and then if we can reopen the parking lot we’ll do so.”

Traffic has been of the highest concern ever since the state’s first two recreational pot shops opened in Leicester and Northampton last month. Local media reports out of those areas indicate that heavy traffic still remains an issue for the towns.

Verilife is located at 112 Main Street in Wareham, immediately off a sharp right turn at the end of the already congested two-lane, 25 mile-per-hour roadway. With a large turnout expected for the opening of recreational sales, it could mean major traffic problems for the town.

Stormo says she has worked with the town to implement temporary measures to limit traffic congestion for the first days of operations.

Customers will be required to park at the Water Wizz parking lot on Cranberry Highway before boarding a shuttle to bring them to Verilife.

“There are going to be highway signs directing folks in that general area. The parking lot will open at 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. We will line people up at the parking lot, help them to make a profile so they can make a purchase at our store. We’ll be verifying identification in the parking lot as well as in the store. Nobody under the age of 21 is allowed in the store, of course,” Stormo said.

“Customers will be able to meet with vendors and ask questions and get more assistance while they’re waiting in the parking lot. We’ve worked closely with the Wareham Police Department as well as town officials to try to make this as smooth of a process as possible.”

Verilife will have expanded hours on Tuesday with doors open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. After the first two days, the store will be open from Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon through 6:00 p.m.

Stormo also advises customers to be aware that payment check, credit card, or debit card will not be accepted, and to plan ahead.  

“We will open as cash only. We do ask that folks plan ahead. We have an ATM on-site, but people shouldn’t plan for there to be money in our ATM necessarily. We will also have a lot of remote ordering capabilities,” Stormo said.

On Tuesday, the Cannabis Control Commission issued a third license to a recreational marijuana retailer in Salem. On Thursday, final licenses for Fall River, Hudson, Great Barrington, and Pittsfield were approved by the state.

Since the opening of the first two recreational shops in Northampton and Leicester, it has been reported that the stores have generated over $7 million in sales.

By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center 

 

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