Two Jamaican-born brothers and entrepreneurs who were raised in the Bronx are determined to redefine the cannabis retail landscape within the borough.
On Friday, March 29, brothers and business co-founders Howell and Chris Miller celebrated the grand opening of their New York state-licensed Two Buds Dispensary at 696 E. 241st St. in the Wakefield neighborhood of the Bronx.
The grand opening ceremony saw cannabis enthusiasts and media outlets in attendance, along with old friends and family members who gathered at the event to congratulate the Miller brothers and wish them luck with their new business venture
The dispensary offers pre-rolls, THC pens and edibles along with flower, of course — including indica, hybrid and sativa strains.
The dispensary also offers wholistic CBD products for “everyday wellness, pain relief, anxiety, mental well being as well as beauty and skincare” according to the Wakefield dispensary.
Two Buds, which straddles the Bronx-Mount Vernon border, is the first Jamaican-owned and operated Bronx dispensary. The Miller brothers settled in the Woodlawn neighborhood after moving to the United States from Jamaica.
According to the Miller brothers, their roots in Jamaica infused them with a rich cultural heritage that would later influence their diverse endeavors as entrepreneurs in the Bronx.
“I want to thank my parents, family, friends, the Bronx cannabis hub, our lawyer for helping us achieve this — and of course, a thank you to the customers,” Howell Miller, co-owner of Two Buds Dispensary, said after the business made its first official sale just after 12:30 p.m. on March 29.
Howell Miller, who was previously incarcerated in a New York state prison for previous marijuana-related convictions in 2005 and 2012, was eventually granted a dispensary retail license through the state’s Office of Cannabis Management’s CAURD program.
The Miller brothers also said that they plan to host educational sessions, to inform customers and spread awareness regarding the benefits and responsible consumption of cannabis products.
The grand opening ceremony for Two Buds Dispensary, which is the fourth state-licensed dispensary to open in the Bronx, also featured special promotions for the first wave of customers.
Bronx Joint, another dispensary located at 925 Hunts Point Ave. in the Longwood neighborhood of the borough, officially opened its doors for business in March.
Reach Steven Goodstein at sgoodstein@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260–8326. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
