After years of waiting, one of America’s most 420-friendly states is finally getting its own legal cannabis stores.
Vermont’s first state-licensed adult-use stores are scheduled to open this Saturday, Oct. 1.
You may have to travel to find one, though. As of Sept. 30, only three stores had been given the green light to open on Oct. 1. Eventually there will be up to 100 stores licensed, but it will take months for them to open their doors.
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We expect the state’s opening day celebration to be centered around the Ceres Collaborative store in Burlington, which is expected to open for adult-use sales at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Arrive early, dress for autumn, maybe bring a chair and snacks. The line will be long but friendly and cheerful. Don’t forget to bring your ID—you will need it even if you’re 101 years old.
Here’s where you’ll find the stores licensed to open on Oct. 1.
Burlington
190 College Street
Hours: 9am to 4:45pm Mon-Sat, closed Sunday
(844) 283-9333
Ceres has four medical locations in Vermont, but on Oct. 1 adult-use sales will be limited to its “old” location at 190 College Street in Burlington.
Middlebury
2 Park Street
Hours: Still to be determined
Located in the heart of downtown Middlebury, Flora Cannabis is expected to be the first rec-only store to open in Vermont. (CeresMED and Mountain Girl Cannabis have been operating as medical dispensaries.)
They expect to have cannabis flower, pre-rolls, as well as infused gummies, caramels, and chocolate for sale on Saturday.
Flora was started by two Middlebury locals—Michael Sims, an entrepreneur and marketing professional with five years of experience in the hemp and CBD industry, and Dave Silberman, an attorney who specializes in cannabis law.
Learn more about the folks getting Flora up and running in this NBC5 / Burlington report, and in the Addison County Independent.
Rutland
174 West Street
Hours: 11am to 6pm Thurs-Mon, closed Tues-Wed
Mountain Girl was named to honor Carolyn Garcia, a lifelong advocate for legalization, sustainable cannabis cultivation, and educated consumption. (Garcia, the former wife of Grateful Dead founder Jerry Garcia, is often referred to as Mountain Girl.)
The store’s founders, Ana and Josh MacDuff, have their own interesting backstories. Born in the Andes mountains of Colombia, Ana MacDuff was a management and IT professional working for insurance and waste management firms—before pivoting to cannabis. Josh MacDuff got his start in the insurance and credit union world, before becoming an advocate helping hemp farmers and retailers find the insurance they need to succeed.
Come say hello on Saturday!
Other stores are coming soon
Brattleboro
257 Marlboro Road
(802) 246-4367
Vermont Bud Barn has been licensed for retail (adult-use) sales, and we expect the store to open its doors in mid-October. Owner Scott Sparks says his staff is aiming for an Oct. 17 grand opening. That’s my target date,” Sparks told the Brattleboro Reformer. “It’s a moving target.”
