Recreational marijuana dispensary to open in Fall River

Rhode Islanders itching for a chance to get marijuana from shops in Massachusetts won’t have to drive too far to get some after the Cannabis Control Commission gave final approval to a dispensary in Fall River to start selling recreational marijuana.

Northeast Alternatives still has to go through one more inspection before they can officially begin sales.

CEO Chris Harkins was thrilled to hear the news and said it’s been a long journey since he first applied for a license in 2016.

Currently, his shop is a medical marijuana center and by early next year, it will make the transition to serve both patients and recreational users.

“There’s a lot of attention on this and it’s a new industry. It’s historic stuff and we’re really proud to be where we are,” Harkins said. “I couldn’t be happier. It’s been a long road.”

After pot shops opened in Leicester and Northampton, a big concern with residents was the traffic. 

Harkins said he’s been working closely with city leaders and the police department to make sure they can handle the rush when they open up.

An online system will be used where customers can make appointments and keep traffic minimal.

“Folks will be able to, in effect, sign in. It’s like a virtual line,” Harkins said. “We have 65 spots in our parking lot and in half hour batches they’ll be able to come in during that half hour period.”

Harkins and his team are expecting to serve around 2,000 customers a day.

They hope to open for recreational sales in early January.