Another Hoboken dispensary is getting closer to opening after its plans were approved at a December 5th Planning Board meeting. Story Dispensary will be located at 51-53 14th Street in Uptown Hoboken. While Story’s plans were originally approved in 2022, the dispensary’s opening has been stalled by lawsuits. Following a settlement and a rehearing of the plans, things are looking up for Story Dispensary. Read on for more about Story Dispensary in Hoboken and when it plans to open.
About the Space
Story Dispensary will be located in the space formerly occupied by Hudson Tavern at 51-53 14th Street in Uptown Hoboken. The 3,000-square-foot space is on the ground floor of a condo building. Hudson Tavern had been in operation in the same space for 36 years and was previously known as Lady Jane’s. It closed in August 2021.
View this post on Instagram
Hudson Tavern was a quintessential part of Hoboken’s bar scene. Famous faces including then-Vice President Joe Biden and former Giants quarterback Eli Manning were spotted there. The bar and restaurant was known for its new American food, weekend brunch, and laid-back vibes.
Read More: Hudson County Cannabis Businesses + Their Leaders: A Deep Dive
Throughout 2022, while Story applied for the necessary permits from the City, it was faced with opposition throughout the process. For several public meetings, totaling over 25 hours of testimony, both for and against the dispensary was presented. The Hoboken City Council approved the dispensary’s plan in December 2022. Later that month, the 51-53 Condominium Association, the residents of the condo building where the dispensary is located, sued Story Dispensary and the Hoboken Planning Board.
The lawsuit aimed to invalidate the Planning Board’s approval of the dispensary. This is a separate lawsuit from one filed by the same plaintiffs seeking to stop Story from opening.
Following this, a settlement in this case was reached in September 2023. Lee Vartan, attorney for Story Dispensary, shared with The Hoboken Girl in October the following statement: “The parties have reached an amicable, confidential settlement. The settlement will allow Story of Hoboken to open its doors and begin to serve the Hoboken community in the coming months. The litigation has changed nothing. Story was always committed to bringing the best consumer experience to its customers while being respectful of its uptown Hoboken neighbors and the condominium association. Story looks forward to becoming a part of Hoboken’s vibrant small business community.”
Latest Updates
In September 2023, a settlement was reached between 51-53 14th Street Condominium Association, Inc. and Story Dispensary, and the Hoboken Planning Board. While the terms of the settlement are confidential, the Hoboken Planning Board held a hearing on December 5th that addressed some elements of the settlement. The hearing addressed some changes to Story’s business plan which had originally been approved by the Planning Board in December 2022.
The December 5th hearing is what’s known as a Whispering Woods hearing, where a city can settle a lawsuit related to planning or zoning without a full hearing. Three items from Story’s updated business plan were the subject of the hearing: changing the main entrance/exit door to the dispensary; a change to operating hours; and the presence of armed guards.
In the updated plans, the entrance was moved from 14th Street to Hudson Street, the dispensary’s hours were reduced, and the issue of armed guards on site was resolved. Guards will only be on-site during a “triggering event” and if the Association has approved it. The entrance to the dispensary was moved from 14th Street to Hudson Street to mitigate crowds. Queues outside of dispensaries are prohibited per Hoboken statute.
The changes were unanimously approved by the Planning Board with the caveat that Story must coordinate with the Hoboken Police Department on its security plan.
What’s Next
HG spoke with Lee Vartan, an attorney representing Story Dispensary. “Story’s appearance before the Hoboken Planning Board on December 5, where Story’s plans were again unanimously approved, was the last hurdle to the dispensary opening. Over the coming months, Story will complete its buildout while it obtains final approvals from the State. We anticipate a spring opening, and look forward to serving our Hoboken neighbors.”
See More: New Cannabis Dispensary ‘Nightjar’ Coming to Bloomfield
Meanwhile, only one other Hoboken cannabis business has opened. The Station, located at 86 River Street, opened quietly in Fall 2023. Harmony Dispensary is undergoing a reorganization and the Hoboken Cannabis Review Board has vacated its prior approval of the business while it figures out its next steps. Culture Hoboken, another would-be dispensary, sued the City to get another hearing. As part of that settlement, Culture will get another hearing in front of the Hoboken Cannabis Review Board, but that hasn’t happened yet and is not scheduled.
Local advocacy group Hoboken for Responsible Cannabis has described Story Dispensary as one of the group’s initiatives. HRC’s founder, Liz Utrecho, attended the December 5th hearing, according to the Hudson County View. HG reached out to HRC for comment about the latest development and hasn’t heard back. HG will update this story when we do. HRC’s lawsuit against Blue Violets, another would-be Hoboken dispensary, has all but stopped the business in its tracks.
