The JC Element cannabis dispensary in the Jersey City Heights neighborhood has closed, while the underground legacy to legal Lifted Vision dispensary opened nearby.
JC Element Dispensary Closes
The JC Element dispensary opened in the Heights of Jersey City in the north of the city, has closed. They did not issue a statement regarding doing so nor respond to a request for comment.
The NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) renewed its NJ adult-use cannabis license in July.
Their social media presence was minimal.
JC Element hosted a fundraiser for an arts nonprofit helping kids in March.
The local Cannabis Control Board (CCB) approved its dispensary opening last September 2024.
They were part of an April 2024 job fair by the City’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
In 2023, they helped sponsor a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration in the neighborhood.
Rafael Corona, a local Hispanic Social Equity entrepreneur, and Kushan Patel owned JC Element.
They reported to Heady NJ that they struggled throughout the process to open. They were among the great many conditional license winners who were unable to convert to the annual license needed to open when they wanted to. JC Element reported having great struggles with greedy landlords who likely ate up a lot of their capital.
Blossom Dispensary has already closed in Jersey City. A few others have closed, like the celebrity-owned Hashstoria of Newark, have closed around the State.
Inevitable Dispensary Closings
With so many dispensaries allowed to open, it was foreseen that some would fail. The distance issue between dispensaries has been difficult for indifferent city officials to enforce.
Part of the problem was that no entrepreneur wanted to be told no by any city government. And when they were told no, many sued or lobbied intensely.
In addition, an increasing number of dispensary owners speaking to Heady NJ feel their real competition, though, is smoke shops selling intoxicating hemp weed products and underground legacy operators with stores.
Legacy to Legal Lifted Vision Cannabis Dispensary Opens in JC Heights
The micro Lifted Vision cannabis dispensary recently opened in the Heights.
They opened Labor Day weekend and recently had a more formal celebration.
Lifted Vision is a local, Hispanic, and underground legacy to legal owned. They are close with Legacy to Lifted dispensary on the West Side, operated by Chris Broderick. They have a type of agreement sharing the Lifted branding and merchandise that features Purple as the main color and similar cartoon characters on the walls.
This makes them the first legacy to legal dispensary chain operating in North Jersey.
Honey Grove in Clementon and Honey Stash in Metuchen have a similar chain with locations in South and Central Jersey (Heady NJ has an ad deal with them, full disclosure).
Before 2025, most of the existing NJ dispensary chains were owned by corporate Multi-State (MSOs) that got into the Apple Store vibe pioneered by the failed MedMen.
In contrast, Lifted Vision had a warm, colorful vibe, for example. Like many, they also had a sniff or bud bar where you could smell different types of cannabis flower for sale.
Range of Cannabis Brands Carried
Manager Josh Ortiz noted they had a range of local, independent brands as wells as some MSO brands.
For example, the North Jersey legacy to legal operator Niche is popular, along with their more price-conscious brand Goodies.
They also featured smaller companies like Garden Greens, Bango Elyon, and Grown Rogue. Lifted Vision also had some large MSO brands like Kynd.
Ortiz said discount deals by MSO brands Crops and Rhythm are popular among price-conscious consumers. MPX and Prolific Grow House pre-rolls are also top sellers.
They also feature companies like Miss Grass and 1906. Both are brands based elsewhere but started by locals who made production deals with MSOs.
One of the most notable new products was moon rocks made from cannabis flower, hash oil, and kief by Little Leaf Labs/Growfather.
Notably, a Rick Simpson Oil (RSO) syringe, which is good for those with serious is going for less than $40 by the brand Black Label.
The CCB approved Lifted Vision’s application to open in November 2022.
Leaf Joint, the Other Side Dispensary, Uforia, and Benedict’s Supply dispensaries are also operating nearby in the Heights neighborhood, along with a few smoke shops.
