Editor's note: The original version of this article said the opening date for Flynnstoned was June 9. The owner has since moved the opening date to June 16.
The first legal cannabis dispensary in central New York is opening in Armory Square on June 16. FlynnStoned was awarded a retail license Friday.
Mike Flynn, owner of FlynnStoned, has had the establishment ready for business for more than a year. The 13,000-square-foot and three-story tall former Urban Outfitters in Armory Square will feature a consumption lounge and local distributors.
Flynn applied for the conditional adult-use retail dispensary (CAURD) license. He met qualifications from a prior to legalization marijuana offense in the state.
"Selling weed was the first job I've ever had and it'll be the last job I ever have," Flynn told WRVO earlier this year as he waited to be awarded a license.
FlynnStoned is located at 219 Walton Street in Syracuse.
There are nine open dispensaries in the state and one temporary delivery-only location. The closest open locations to central New York are in Binghamton and Ithaca.
New legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul as part of the state budget is aimed at curtailing illegal cannabis sales and "sticker shops."
"As New York State continues to roll out a nation-leading model to establish its cannabis industry, these critical enforcement measures will protect New Yorkers from illicit, unregulated sales," Hochul said. "Unlicensed dispensaries violate our laws, put public health at risk, and undermine the legal cannabis market. With these enforcement tools, we're paving the way for safer products, reinvestment in communities that endured years of disproportionate enforcement, and greater opportunities for New Yorkers."
