Lenox Hill Cannabis Co Offers Second Chances on the Upper East Side
Lenox Hill Cannabis Co Offers Second Chances on the Upper East Side
As New York’s legal cannabis market expands, Upper East Side dispensary Lenox Hill Cannabis Co. is leading with a mission: to prioritize social justice and economic opportunity for those impacted by decades of prohibition.
“The change in law turned an illicit trade into something regulated and taxed, which allows us to pay our staff not only above-market wages, but also bonuses for our collective success,” said Wei Hu, co-owner alongside Michael Graubard and Dominick Cuffaro.
Since opening in January 2024, Lenox Hill Cannabis Co. has hired a diverse team of approximately 25 employees, the majority of whom are minorities. Some were previously homeless, and several, including co-owner Graubard, have prior cannabis convictions that limited their employment and salary prospects.
“It was critical for us, as beneficiaries of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), to never forget the odious disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates for Black and Hispanic cannabis consumers in New York City,” said Hu. “The War on Drugs simply disenfranchised lower-income minority communities, so we targeted hiring to applicants from such backgrounds.”
All employees start in entry-level “budtender” roles, with management promoted from within. “The best part of my job is creating an environment where people can grow,” said Robert Tagoe, who began as a budtender in January 2024 and is now General Manager. “We open doors for people who would not necessarily have had the opportunity.”
The dispensary pays staff nearly double what’s typical in comparable retail jobs when including tips and bonuses — and several of the dispensary’s employees are supporting families on that income. One assistant inventory manager, who previously worked at Chipotle, supports his young family with two young children through his job.
“This is about providing young men and women employment training, developing a work history for resumes, enabling leadership opportunities, and building careers,” Hu said. Job applicants didn’t require college degrees or specific credentials. “Rather, we looked for people with big hearts and the willingness to patiently discuss and even share their own personal experiences with cannabis to new consumers.”
And that’s exactly what Lenox Hill Cannabis got. “Each day, we have over a dozen customers or their significant others sharing with our staff that he or she is undergoing treatment for or recovering from cancer,” said Cuffaro. “I am so proud of their patience, willingness to listen, and compassion that our staff display during such tough conversations.”
Located on East 73rd Street, the dispensary sits within walking distance of more than a dozen world-class teaching hospitals. The owners chose the site intentionally, knowing the neighborhood is home to highly-educated, health-conscious residents. “Cannabis has always been taboo, but now our employees are able to talk about it openly and educate people; we are more able to hold a dialogue about cannabis use, and its potential benefits,” said Graubard.
As licensing continues to roll out across New York, Lenox Hill Cannabis Co. aims to be a model for what an inclusive and equitable cannabis business can look like — one where the people most-impacted by past laws are given a chance to lead the industry forward.
Shop Lenox Hill Cannabis
There’s something for everyone at Lenox Hill Cannabis Co. The UES dispensary sells over 1,700+ adult-use cannabis and CBD products, including...
• 400+ prerolls
• 375+ flower products
• 100+ concentrates
• 450+ vapes and carts
• 200+ edibles
• dozens of topicals
• beverages and tinctures
Not sure what you need? Visit the dispensary in person to chat with Lenox Hill’s knowledgeable budtenders.
Visit in store: 334 E. 73rd St (between 1st and 2nd)
Shop online for pickup or delivery: www.lenoxhillcannabis.com