As major national cannabis companies look to expand further into the Massachusetts market, independents face significant hurdles
A major milestone is unfolding in Hyde Park as our locally owned cannabis dispensary Firehouse nears completion. If you’ve driven by recently, you’ve likely noticed the construction in full swing—our facade is finished, signage is up, and we’re closer than ever to welcoming the community into our doors. But the road to get here has been anything but easy.
From the start, securing our place in the cannabis industry has been a fight. While the state’s Social Equity Program was designed to give opportunities to local entrepreneurs and those impacted by the war on drugs, the reality has been far more challenging. Access to funding has been one of the biggest barriers. Unlike other small businesses, cannabis shops can’t get traditional bank loans or Small Business Administration (SBA) support, making it incredibly difficult for people like us to secure the capital needed to build out a store and open our doors.
At the same time, while small businesses like ours struggle to secure funding, corporate cannabis giants are working to expand their dominance in Massachusetts. Large, multi-state operators (MSOs) are pushing to open even more locations, which would make it even harder for independent, locally-owned shops like ours to compete. We already fought off one massive out-of-state company that tried to open a dispensary just a few hundred feet from our location—a move that would have crushed us before we even got started. With the community’s support, that proposal was denied, proving that Boston still values local businesses over corporate takeovers.
Now, as we stand on the verge of opening, we hope our local elected officials continue to stand with small business owners and the community, not corporate cannabis interests looking to take over the market. The original vision of legalization was to create opportunities for those most impacted by prohibition, not to let well-funded corporations push out local entrepreneurs.
Despite all the challenges, we’re almost there.
Our dispensary will be a space that reflects the values and needs of our community, run by people who live here and care about Hyde Park. Thank you to everyone who has supported Firehouse’s journey along the way. We look forward to celebrating our grand opening with you soon.
