The fourth retail marijuana dispensary hoping to do business in Haverhill plans to prioritize security and community outreach when they open later this year at 330 Amesbury Road.
Interested in the 1,200-square foot space formerly occupied by Seafood Etc., city residents Phil Brown, Charles Emery and Timothy Riley—the Mellow Fellows—will outline their business model to the public this Thursday, April 4. Ahead of the 7 p.m. session at the UMass iHub, the trio’s attorney, School Committeeman Paul A. Magliocchetti filled WHAV in on how the community will benefit from their sale of marijuana flower, oil, liquids and edibles.
“They’ve just made a commitment toward education of the public and working together with our school department to get the word out to the kids about the risks and dangers inherent in all kids of drugs.”
In a December conversation with WHAV, Brown—a former Haverhill High School teacher who started using cannabis medically to combat sleep apnea—said he anticipates being able to offer parent counseling sessions and incentives for the random drug testing of high school students. All companies doing business in the city are required to donate a portion of their proceeds to charity, though Magliocchetti tells WHAV Mellow Fellows have yet to public announce their beneficiaries.
The company is also streamlining access to the drug using a multi-faceted security approach. Architect Matt Juros of Haverhill’s Fishbrook Design teamed with Beverly-based security consultant Jim Danforth to develop a three-tier protocol that informs the design of the entire property.
A single entry point for customers and employees is at the front of the store, while a high-security access door is used for money and product in the rear. An internal vault system is being considered, and indoor and outdoor security guards will be posted during regular business hours, Danforth said.
“What’s nice about this location is that it’s so rural that it can be 100 percent controlled,” Danforth—a CIA alum who worked in the Essex County Sheriff’s Office’s warrant investigation unit—told WHAV. “We plan for not just the technical security but also security on site. No one can just ‘hang around’ this site without being observed by security guards.”
Mayor James J. Fiorentini is waiting to sign the group’s host community agreement until they submit a traffic study, Fiorentini’s spokesman Shawn Regan said. The group has already met with Fiorentini’s eight-member marijuana advisory council.
Mellow Fellows will join Haverhill’s other retail applicants Stem, Full Harvest Moonz and CNA Stores in the special permit process later this year once all city paperwork and permitting is finalized. Fiorentini expects Haverhill’s first dispensary to open in July.