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Cannabis dispensary planned for vacant Midtown building

Crystal Nugs is planning to open a cannabis dispensary at 2300 J St. in Sacramento in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Cannabis-delivery company Crystal Nugs is planting roots in Midtown with plans to open a storefront dispensary in a vacant building at the corner of J and 23rd streets. 

Crystal Nugs CEO Maisha Bahati said once operational, it will be the largest cannabis dispensary in Sacramento.

The building at 2300 J St. was previously occupied by J’s Beauty Supply. The two-story location is 7,800 square feet and has its own parking garage with 18 spaces, Bahati said. 

“We have owned a tattoo shop on J Street for 12 years right across the street and have always admired the building but never imagined opening a dispensary there,”she said. “It sits on the corner and there is a lot of foot traffic in the area. Parking was also a big deal for us, so it’s just a great location. I think we’ll fit in well with the neighborhood.”

Bahati envisions the lobby occupying downstairs, with the dispensary and showroom upstairs. She said the amount of space will allow the opportunity for innovation in terms of how brands are showcased.

Crystal Nugs is one of 10 local cannabis companies that received dispensary permits from the city through its Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) Program, which was created to assist those facing barriers to starting cannabis businesses due to the historical disparate enforcement of cannabis crimes.

The planned dispensary will put an emphasis on women-owned and minority-owned brands, Bahati said, especially those local to the region.

“I just want people to be able to come to this staple location in Sacramento and know that you’ll find local, equity-owned, women-owned brands, and top brands in the market,” she said.

The planned dispensary is organizing an open house this weekend to allow Midtown residents to learn more about the vision for Crystal Nugs and meet the team. Approximately 2,900 invites were sent out, Bahati said, and the goal is to let residents ask questions and show that the dispensary is committed to the neighborhood and transparency.

Architectural plans are in the process of being finished for the location, which Bahati is leasing. Once those are completed, Crystal Nugs will apply for a conditional use permit through the city to operate a dispensary on the premises.

Bahati said if all goes according to plan, they expect to have doors open to the public in the fourth quarter of 2022.

By Jake Abbott  –  Staff Writer, Sacramento Business Journal