Natick To Consider Agreement With First Cannabis Retailer

NATICK, MA — The Natick Board of Selectmen on Wednesday will discuss entering into a host-community agreement with a retail cannabis company — the first step in a months-long process that could result in the town's first marijuana retailer.

The company Cypress Tree was one of three finalists selected by the town during an open call for cannabis retail proposals in 2020. The town has decided to allow two cannabis retail stores total.

Cypress Tree would open a store named Redi at the Cloverleaf Mall at 321 Speen St., which is currently home to a Guitar Center, Total Wine and Aldi. The Cypress Tree owners have targeted August as an opening date, pending town and state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) approvals. Cypress Tree can't apply for a CCC recreational license until Natick enters into a host-community agreement with the company.

In the fall, Natick held public meetings with all three proposed cannabis retailers. The C3 dispensary proposed opening in a shopping plaza at 42 Worcester St. just west of Grove Road. Revolutionary Clinics proposed a store at 6 Worcester St. just east of Grove Road in the Nine East Wine Emporium building.

A medical marijuana store, Bountiful Farms, opened in Natick in October. The town has not capped the number of medical marijuana stores that can open. Those stores are not open to the public, only people with medical marijuana cards.

The Select Board on Wednesday will also consider allowing prior cannabis retail applicants to submit additional materials to the town for consideration. Those businesses include C3, Revolutionary Clinics, Justice Grown, ReLeaf Alternatives and Phytotherapy.

Read Cypress Tree's full proposal for the Redi store here: