Newly approved Quincy cannabis shop says it'll have a subscription service

QUINCY − The city's zoning board has given Wildflower Cannabis the go-ahead to open a recreational marijuana shop, after an initial delay over traffic concerns. Wildflower is the fourth recreational dispensary approved by the board, though only one, Quincy Cannabis Co., has opened for business.

When Wildflower first appeared before the board on March 26, members voiced concern over the amount of traffic the store would attract to the neighborhood.

The city's traffic engineer, Allison Ruel, approved a traffic analysis submitted by Wildflower's engineers, board chair Marty Aikens said during a brief May 7 hearing. The board voted unanimously to grant co-owners Maggie Suprey and Elinor Winship the necessary permit to begin construction at 159 Brook Road, currently a lot that stores construction equipment and vehicles.

Erin Riley, Wildflower's attorney and spokesperson, told The Patriot Ledger that the business will help improve the area's safety and traffic flow. At the city's request, Suprey and Winship committed to installing new signs, including two-hour parking signs, which Riley said will be "good for the neighborhood and good for business."

Aikens also raised the issue of another proposed dispensary less than a quarter mile away at Liberty and Water streets. That dispensary, Pinnacle Cannabis, received its permit from the board last September.

Winship reassured Aikens about her business' viability, saying that Wildflower will have its own niche in what could soon become a crowded market in the city. She said the business will distinguish itself through its subscription model, where customers form "consultative" relationships with store employees rather than making simple, one-off transactions.

After the hearing, Suprey said she is "super happy to be moving along in the process" and thanked Quincy Councilor-at-large Nina Liang, who wrote a letter to the zoning board supporting Wildflower as a woman-owned business. Liang is currently the only woman on city council.

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Before construction on the new store begins, Wildflower has to complete some engineering and site work to deal with drainage issues on the property, which lies in a flood plain, Suprey said. A small shed will also have to be demolished.

Though she said she couldn't set a time frame for opening, Suprey said the project is moving forward "full steam ahead" after receiving the key permit.

Two cannabis stores currently operate in the city: Quincy Cannabis Co. on Washington Street and the medical dispensary Panacea Wellness on Ricciuti Drive.

Including Wildflower, three recreational stores have come before the board since last summer. In August, a Braintree pharmacist received a special permit to open Pinnacle Cannabis at Water and Liberty streets, less than a quarter mile from the Wildflower site. In December, the owner of a store in Cohasset got approval to open Chill and Bliss in a former Burger King at 503 Quincy Ave.

Peter Blandino covers Quincy for The Patriot Ledger. Contact him at pblandino@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy zoning board decides on Wildflower Cannabis permit request