Jersey City held its second cannabis job fair for new and upcoming cannabis dispensaries and a grower looking for budtenders and other workers that reflected the blooming market.
There were many local brands, such as Glue Lagoon Farms, Legacy to Lifted, Uforia, Benedict’s Supply, Social Leaf, Deka Cannabis, Ript, the Bay Street Greenery, and Hazy Harvest, ready to screen applicants.
Most dispensaries were looking to hire specialized clerks known as budtenders to work the store along with those higher up the ladder in management.
Jersey City Diversity and Inclusion Office Director Dr. Floyd Jeter led the cannabis job fair effort after holding the first one in 2022. According to him, 210 people pre-registered for the Jersey City cannabis career fair, while others were walk-ins.
There are already 7 Jersey City cannabis dispensaries open, with more coming.
Glue Lagoon Farms Seeks Legal Growers
Glue Lagoon Farms was notable for being the second cultivator approved by the Jersey City Cannabis Control Board (CCB). It has already approved more than 50 dispensaries opening.
They are still in the process of securing their council resolution. But they were confident it was a mere matter of time.
Glue Lagoon Farms is a micro cultivator. However they’re already interested in expanding to a larger canopy as well as manufacturing.
They were the only one looking for growers or plant managers there. Glue Lagoon Farms owner Eli Terry noted a temporary post-harvest team of trimming and packaging staff would be temporary.
While Glue Lagoon Farms had gotten 30 resumes, as a micro, he cannot hire many. So there will only be three full-time staffers.
“We’ll see who’s able to scale with the company,” Terry noted.
He was eager to open and scale the company.
Notably, qualified managers needed legal education with the Minority Cannabis Academy or experience in the legal industry.
Terry noted an underground legacy growing background was not enough. Growing is a very scientific process in the legal cannabis industry.
“It’s very different from growing vegetables or something like that,” he added.
Terry said they will be up and running by October.
Bay Street Greenery Dispensary Opening Soon
The Bay St. Greenery is trying to open by 4/20 in a couple of weeks. They were looking for 25 to 30 budtenders for their 6,000-square-foot dispensary.
Initially, they were known as WR Wellness. They have the closest location to the Govest Street PATH station by the waterfront and New York City in a wealthy neighborhood. It was one of the first dispensaries approved by the CCB in May 2022 as a New York woman majority-owned company.
Bay Street Greenery’s location was previously a nightclub.
RIPT and Leaf Joint Expand
Ript opened New Jersey’s 43rd dispensary last year. They are looking to expand their hours. So they needed to hire more people.
“People don’t realize how hard it is to build a business from nothing. We have loyal customers and such a high percentage of new customers,” RIPT Co-founder Jonathan Bednarsh noted.
“Finally getting new products. Still, there’s only a few new guys I’m familiar with,” he added.
Ript has been getting creative with promotions in their space, including a puff and paint in their parking lot. They’re now doing a light and wick, making candles, and consuming cannabis.
“We have a pretty unique store and location,” Bednarsh explained.
Leaf Joint is open and looking to expand. They opened more recently after operating as a smoke shop for some time. Since it has been going well so far, it was looking for more people. In addition, it was interested in maintaining community support.
Cannabis Dispensaries in the Jersey City Heights Compete
With so many dispensaries opening in Jersey City, the issue of a small distance separating dispensaries was clear.
There were several upcoming dispensaries in the Jersey City Heights neighborhood in the north looking for workers. Leaf Joint, Uforia, and Benedict’s Supply are all in the Heights, and their tables were right next to each other.
They’re all fairly small and local dispensaries owned by women and/or minorities.
Uforia Dispensary, owned by Bashkim Spahi, was among those looking to see who had a background that would fit. He was interested in finding good managers. Spahi has been active in the process, attending many CCB meetings and has watched the process unfold up close.
Sarah Russell of Benedict’s Supply was also in the process of narrowing the pool of qualified candidates. While many are on the main thorofare of Central Avenue she is on JFK Boulevard.
Deka Cannabis was looking to hire budtenders as well. They were formerly Decades Dispensary. They’re at 404 Central Avenue and hoping to open this summer. They had collected more than 100 resumes. Deka Cannabis was looking to hire about 15 people.
“It is a competitive process,” Deka Cannabis owner Bakula Patel noted.
Legacy to Lifted Hires for West Side Avenue Dispensary
The Legacy to Lifted dispensary, owned by Chris Broderick, will open soon on West Side Avenue. He was there with his team, looking for more budtenders reflecting the diverse city.
“It’s good to turn a new leaf. I can start taking resumes now. Making more operational decisions,” Broderick explained.
CB explained they are working on getting inspected to get construction permits.
The time it takes to get inspected by the city and the NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (NJCRC) before you can open varies.
Jersey Leaf is also looking to open on the West Side about 1000 feet down.