Lifelong Friends Open Cannabis Dispensary In West Orange

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A woman, Black and veteran-owned cannabis dispensary is getting ready to hold its grand opening in West Orange – and it’s a testament to the power of friendship, spokespeople say.

Dogwood Green Dispensary will hold a grand opening at 5 Central Avenue in West Orange on Saturday, April 5. The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m., and will include product showcases, special promotions and sales.

Learn more about this local business here.

The legal marijuana dispensary was launched by three lifelong friends – Whitney Oldham, Dan Costa and Danielle Grado – as well as a fourth founder, Adam Lagno, a West Orange local who is married to Grado.

Oldham told Patch that Costa, Grado and himself grew up together in Teaneck. They met in the first grade – and later shared their first joint together in high school.

Since then, their career paths have taken separate roads, he said: Costa is a U.S. Army veteran, Grado is a human resources professional with nearly two decades of retail experience, and Oldham is a corporate c-suite executive assistant by trade.

Now – with the help of Lagno – the longtime friends are hoping to use their diverse professional skills to share their love of cannabis with New Jersey.

According to Oldham, the team at Dogwood Green Dispensary picked West Orange for their new business because of the town’s diversity and “progressive politics” involving marijuana.

“The Valley District was particularly interesting as the revitalization of the neighborhood is in full swing, and we knew we could contribute to the efforts in many ways,” Oldham added.

The founders of Dogwood Green Dispensary have each been impacted by the War on Drugs in their own way, which has guided their mission of being a place where “education and empowerment” meet.

“Dogwood Green is more than a dispensary—we’re creating a legacy of inclusivity and opportunity in West Orange,” the founders said in a joint statement.

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