Stroll down South Terrace Avenue in Mount Vernon, and you’ll notice a new neighbor: ELEVATE, Westchester’s first legal adult-use cannabis dispensary. Owned by John Ruggiero, a Yonkers native, ELEVATE aims to take locals higher than ever regarding quality buds.
Ruggiero is no stranger to plant medicine. “I used to hide my weed arrests, but for ELEVATE’s license application, I proudly showed them off!” he laughed. His record is no longer a hindrance; instead, it is now a key qualification to enter New York’s social equity cannabis program.
However, opening ELEVATE has come with sobering challenges—sky-high startup costs, a complex web of regulations, and the lack of federal tax deductions have harshly killed Ruggiero’s buzz. “It’s definitely not what most people think,” he warns aspiring cannapreneurs.
Yet, the chance to educate his community keeps Ruggiero feeling optimistic. “I used to buy weed off the corner, too. I had no clue it could be laced with anything. I now know that weed is tested [in New York] for moisture and potency, or that it could contain harmful levels of microbes, fungi, salmonella, E-coli, pesticides, heavy metals, or other things,” he reflected. “Now I know—testing cannabis saves lives. Testing ensures only safe and quality cannabis products make it to our store, and I’m thrilled to provide my neighbors a welcoming, regulated shop.”
Who’s toking up so far? Surprisingly to Ruggiero, most early birds hail from outside of Mount Vernon. “I guess locals still use the underground market to save money,” he speculated. “But those unlicensed shops endanger our community. I’m on a mission to spread the word!”
When he finally locks up the shop each night, what’s Ruggiero’s go-to strain to unwind? “Gotta go with that West Coast Sour D!” he enthused. “One hit of that diesel takes me straight to paradise.” He also picked Zizzle’s Rainbow Beltz as his favorite indica strain in the store.
If he won the lottery, what would Ruggiero’s big plans be for the future? “A mega dispensary with classes, a lounge…every stoner’s dream,” he mused.
Whether for altitude or attitude adjustment, Mount Vernon finally has a hotspot to get elevated.
