Recreational Cannabis Dispensary Requesting to Extend Hours

A virtual abutters meeting (via ZOOM) is now scheduled for Wednesday evening, February 28, at 6 p.m.

Last October, Native Sun opened for business on their premises at 115 K Street, at the corner of East First Street. The actual entrance to Native Sun’s premises is at 538 First Street. Native Sun is a licensed Retail Recreational Cannabis Dispensary – the first of three total cannabis dispensaries that will eventually be granted licenses in South Boston. It is owned by a business called Holland Brands SB LLC; it received its license from the Boston Cannabis Board. And as you know, “cannabis” is Latin word that means “marijuana”.

Recently, Native Sun decided they must expand the hours they are open for business. In order for them to do this, it was first necessary to apply to the Boston Cannabis Board, a process they have begun. Interaction with Native Sun’s neighborhood is also required before new hours of business will be approved. A virtual abutters meeting (via ZOOM) is now scheduled for Wednesday evening, February 28, at 6 p.m.

The currently approved hours of business at Native Sun are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday – a total of 81 hours every week. Holland Brands SB LLC seeks approval for new Native Sun hours extending from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week – an expanded total of 105 hours every week. The reasons for requesting these new hours really aren’t clear, but they seem to be somehow connected with improving Native Sun’s customer service.

Two weeks ago, all of the leafy shade trees around Native Sun’s property were suddenly cut down. No notice was given to the neighborhood; it was a noisy, days-long process. Some of these trees had dead branches, but that wasn’t the reason they were removed. Since their removal, a 250-foot, six- foot-tall banner has been installed along the First Street fence line. In large lettering, it advertises “Native Sun – Recreational Cannabis Dispensary”.

In addition, 12×12 signs resembling billboards have been erected on the street-front buildings at each end of the Native Sun property. The entire display seems excessive, to the point of becoming garish. We aren’t sure whether City of Boston approval was needed (or was granted) for such a huge display, but we recall the controversy that arose concerning a proposed billboard at the Polish-American Club on Boston Street.

We suggest you get involved with the goings-on at Native Sun. It will give you an advance look at what might take place when the remaining two cannabis dispensaries in South Boston are approved, and then opened up for business.