Former NBA star and New Jersey native Al Harrington to open cannabis dispensary in Hoboken
Al Harrington’s dream of one day opening a recreational dispensary in New Jersey dates back to his days playing ball for the Denver Nuggets when Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize recreational use.
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A seed planted over a decade ago is finally blooming… but it’s not your ordinary flower, we’re talking cannabis.
"A long time coming. I’ve definitely had my eye on the market for a while,” says Al Harrington.
The City of Orange native’s dream of one day opening a recreational dispensary in New Jersey dates back to his days playing ball for the Denver Nuggets when Colorado and Washington became the first two states to legalize recreational use.
But it wasn’t until he suggested medicinal marijuana to his grandmother Viola for her glaucoma that the dream took flight.
"She was complaining about her eyes hurting and I said, 'Grandma, why don’t you give it a try.' I said a doctor will actually recommend it. I said it’s legal here, and she said I’m in so much pain today, I’ll try anything. From that point on, I had a different outlook on cannabis. I realized that it was medicine. So, I started doing research and then eventually I got into the business,” he says.
Harrington teamed up with Dan Pettigrew to start the company Viola to help others in her honor. The duo then founded Village Brands to expand their reach and open dispensaries nationwide.
Harrington also works to ensure that the history of prohibition and its disproportionate impact on communities of color is at the forefront by advocating for expanded access and opportunity for people of color in the cannabis industry.
"It’s really about using our platform to uplift and empower people, especially of color to this opportunity because this is a generational wealth opportunity,” he says.
The Hoboken store will be the brand's first East Coast location and the former baller's first cannabis operation in his home state. Village Hoboken will officially be open to the public this weekend.
