Sanitation trucks as roving works of art.

Hey Neighbors - 

A huge thank you to Emily Sundberg, founder/writer of the daily newsletter Feed Me, for recommending Ward 6 to all of her readers. If you live in our corner of Brooklyn or are just Brooklyn-curious, welcome new subscribers! You can read all about me and why I started Ward 6.

I’m eager for you to read “All Those New Dispensaries, Explained”—a story I delayed publishing for a week in order to meet the owners of two additional dispensaries. But first, some quick links to the news:

Much more…

The first time I bought weed legally, it was a rash decision as a small-town Massachusetts dispensary was closing for the night. I listened intently, trying to mask my ignorance and follow along as the young “bud tender” eagerly and enthusiastically described the offerings.  I spent way too much money and hurriedly left the shop, slightly embarrassed that I’d blown my first dispensary experience. 

A lot of life has happened since then, including, of course, the legalization of cannabis in New York. I was surprised to read that in the Gallup Poll, 70% of U.S. adults, and not just Democrats, favor legalization; support is across all parties. 

So when I saw a new dispensary opening on one of the busiest blocks in Cobble Hill—on the corner of Court and Atlantic—I was eager to meet the owners of Buzzy and see how the shopping experience (and I) had changed since that night in Massachusetts. And since Buzzy is not the only new spot in our corner of Brooklyn, I also visited  Erudito on the Columbia St. Waterfront and Yerba Buena in Boerum Hill. 

One common thread? Each of the owners had a lot to say about the failures of New York State’s cannabis program, as it rolled out “the most ambitious cannabis legalization effort in the country.”  I had no idea the unique challenges—from applying for a license to finding a storefront, on top of the near-daily energy (and money) required to stay in compliance with inconsistent and evolving regulations.  

(And to repeat my somewhat related question from last week, since I’m still curious what you think: Is there any difference between having a drink with your young adult children and eating an edible or smoking? Email: [email protected] or DM.)

And now the reviews!

The origin story: Buzzy’s ideal location, directly across from Trader Joe’s, produces a constant stream of potential customers. So I was surprised to learn that Manhattan, not Cobble Hill, was the original plan for the neighborhood’s newest dispensary. But when the deal fell through, one of Buzzy’s three partners came up with a Plan B, down the street from her apartment on Court St. 

“I live in this neighborhood, I shop here, and I care deeply about how new businesses show up in our community,” says Iris Ladoa, a NJ native, who’s worked with big brands like SoulCycle, Lowe's Hotel and Barry’s Boot Camp. “I’ve spent my career helping brands grow by making people feel welcome, seen and respected.” 

Her business partner, David Cohn, echoes Ladoa’s goals. A Co-founder/CEO of Civic Entertainment Group (where they first met 20 years ago), which celebrity investor Ryan Seacrest acquired in 2012, Cohn said he “found it intimidating to walk into [dispensaries]...I wanted to make sure a hallmark of Buzzy is to be extremely approachable.”

Cohn, who is 100 percent deaf, said his experience during the pandemic, when masks made it difficult for him to read lips, also helped shape his goals for Buzzy. He said he twice met with Governor Kathy Hochul to urge her to expand New York State’s cannabis social equity program to include people with disabilities. That effort was unsuccessful, but Cohn, the driving force behind the store, moved forward with Buzzy (in honor of his father’s nickname).

To learn the business, Cohn and Ladoa brought in Adam Berk as the third partner, who Cohn says has a “deep bench in cannabis,” from cultivation to wholesale. Berk is also a successful entrepreneur—a patent for a food-ordering company he developed led to companies like GrubHub. 

 “Cannabis is one of the most significant emerging industries New York has seen in decades,” Ladoa told me, that also came with enormous challenges. 

The vibe:  The owners’ goal of creating a welcoming place was evident the evening I stopped by the store last week. The space is well-lit, with rich wood cabinets and a super friendly staff well-dressed in black uniform jackets with "Buzzy" on the left pocket, or black “Cobble Hill” sweatshirts. (Yes, merch is for sale in the store.)

What’s next:  Cohn says he’d like users to feel as familiar with Buzzy’s as they do with McDonald’s or the Apple Store. “Not the brand [McDonald’s],” he clarifies, with a slight grimace, “but everyone in [the] world knows how McDonald’s works. You know how to order a hamburger. Apple staff are so knowledgeable, and they know everything about the product.” 

The offering: 50+ brands, and if you don’t see what you want, join Buzzy’s “Wish You Were Here” program on in-store iPads and suggest an item for them to carry. 

The origin story: Erudito in Spanish translates to "a well-learned person," and after three decades in the cannabis business, owner Fernando Lentof is erudito in weed and eager to share that knowledge with his customers.  While we sit together on his couch, Lentof explains that the name is also a metaphor for his own journey, as “an underground entrepreneur moving into the limelight of legalization.”

Traveling to other countries where cannabis was either tolerated or legal, and here in the U.S. influenced Lentof’s decision to apply for a New York license. “The number of people who were there!” says Lentof, telling me about a trip to California, where cannabis was legal, during the pandemic. “At that moment, I realized how essential cannabis was. It became essential to the world.”

Lentof doesn’t shy away from talking about this transition. “Sometimes I get imposter syndrome. Like, what am I doing owning this business?”  Whereas he once had an “eclectic clientele of doctors, lawyers, and NYC socialites, many of whom are recognizable,” he’s starting from scratch, cultivating new customers, and trying, he adds, to learn everyone’s names, which was evident the day I visited the store.

The busy stretch of Union St., with a half a dozen or so businesses, has mostly embraced him, except for one of his neighbors.  “I’m a New Yorker, I get it!” he says with a smile. “I’d want to know who this guy is, too. My mission is to win her over!”

Lentof works with a team of advisors, who support many other independent dispensaries. The state’s failure to fulfill its initial promises, including the lack of low-interest financing for license holders like Lentof, is a constant source of frustration, he says, even today. They hoodwinked us. This led to people like me losing their minds. ”

The Vibe: Located near the popular Spaghetti Cafe on Union St., Erudito is the first dispensary in the Columbia Street waterfront area. It’s small and cozy, decorated with a wooden chess table, handpicked art, unique tchotchkes and that leather couch. 

If you prefer a low-key dispensary with personalized service, often from Lentof himself, Erudito might be your spot of choice.  “I approach my business with class, dignity and discretion,” he says.

What’s next: Embracing social media and getting comfortable being the face of his brand. Merch is also on the horizon, but building trust with his customers, he says, will come first.  “Erudito is my dream come true. I love the store. It has a great vibe. I feel accomplished.” 

Offerings: 44 different brands chosen for quality, consistency, and how they are grown. Also expect new merchandise with “emerging operators” and personalized service. 

The origin story: Doralyn De Dios Brito and Diogenes Brito were newlyweds when New York launched its cannabis licensing program. Drawn to its social impact goals, they chose the cannabis industry for a business they wanted to start together. 

As a lawyer in the Kings County District Attorney’s office, Doralyn was intimately involved as New York decriminalized cannabis by helping to clear low-level drug cases. She later started her own firm, primarily representing domestic abuse survivors.

“We have both done well in our careers, and we want to extend that to our community,” says Diogenes, who has worked for a few start-ups, including as a former designer for Slack.

With their professional experience and a network of friends to guide them, they believed they were well-positioned. “It’s an extremely challenging field and harder than we expected,” Doralyn told me. 

They partnered with CEO Jillian Dragutsky, a successful entrepreneur and legacy cannabis licensed holder, who has also helped shape New York’s cannabis industry. A fourth partner, Ryan Littman, handles inventory and marketing.  

The vibe: Yerba Buena, the largest and oldest of the three dispensaries to open in 2025, with its first anniversary next month, sits diagonally across the street from the new “House of D,” Brooklyn’s new jail under construction on Atlantic Ave. But the owners have done a great job of creating an oasis from the noise and congestion of this stretch of Atlantic Ave, with the store’s soothing pale-orange walls and warm lighting.  

“We designed the store around our town in the Dominican Republic,” says Diogenes, “Yerba Buena is authentically us.” 

By design, the couple chose a Spanish name meaning “good herb.” It’s also the original name of San Francisco, where Diogenes spent nearly eight years with Slack. He told me over the phone that he found a lot of dispensaries off-putting, “dark and masculine,” and he saw a “gap in the market” for a different shopping experience.  

Unlike other dispensaries, Yerba Buena allows its customers to handle its merchandise rather than using glass displays that create a barrier between shoppers and the products and their packages, which, Diogenes explains, creates a more immersive and welcoming environment. 

“Because of the stigma [of cannabis], I didn’t feel like I could walk into a dispensary, “ says Doralyn. “I wanted it to be welcoming.” While the dispensary is not intentionally designed with women in mind, she says she loves to see women come in and feel comfortable.”

What’s next: Long-term, a certain percentage of their profits will go toward building their Foundation, which they envision as a space with free and low-cost dance classes, workspace, and an office for Doralyn to work pro bono with domestic abuse survivors. “I also want to be the largest secret donor for Prep for Prep,” says Diogenes, who is an alumnus of the New York non-profit that provides academic opportunities for kids.  

Offerings: Yerba Buena sells resin-infused olive oil, a brownie mix collab with bakery Bien Cuit on Smith St, and has teamed up with Cobble Hill Cinemas for a private screening of the 1994 movie, The Mask,  next Wednesday, the 21st.  A second location is on the horizon.

UPDATE: The Court St. bike lane is here to stay: In addition to Judge O’Neale deferring to the DOT’s expertise, she also noted that bike lanes and pedestrian safety features on city streets are a priority for the City Council. She placed the responsibility for addressing issue of emergency vehicles—which many residents say is a huge problem now that Court St is only one lane—on the FDNY and NYPD, not the business community. And the judge recommended that the Court Street Merchants and residents with concerns should lobby the “City’s elected and appointed officials because questions relating to the best use of the city streets…are beyond the authority of the courts…” 

This is not the end of this debate. A few days after the judge ruled on the case, a former highway superintendent, Alex Gregor, referred to Court St. as an “operational mess” in his public comments on Wednesday at the Community Board 6 meeting.  

LIVE MUSIC WHILE YOU SKATE:  Sofar Sounds pop-up concert series at Roebling Rink in BB Park this Thursday (and next Thurs.) with a secret lineup made public day of. Sofar credits itself with helping identify emerging artists such as Billie Eilish and Leon Bridges and with creating live events in unconventional places. Check out last week’s performers: Emmy and Ruby, so–SoFar so good.  Free if you’re not ice skating.

REAL ESTATE NEWS FOR THE 1%. Thank you to ColumbiaStWaterfront for posting the Robb Report article about a $12 million apartment for sale at Quay Towers in BB Park. The sale isn’t mere real estate porn, but also raises serious concerns about the proposed 20+ luxury towers that the City wants to build next door [to Quay?] and across from Van Vorhees Park. Will this lead to more displacement of regular folks because of rent hikes or rezoning?  I’m eagerly awaiting the Mayor’s take on the NYCEDC’s controversial “vision plan” 

CALLING ALL WARD 6 ARTISTS, NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY: The Sanitation Dept’s Truck of Art is back. Not only will you transform an entire truck, but you will use “no-longer-wanted household paints, keeping them out of the landfill.” The gig also comes with a $1500 stipend. 

N’HOOD RESTAURANT CLOSES ITS DOORS: From The Court St. Journal: Gus’s Chop House on Union by Henry St. served its last meal on New Year’s Eve.  

“OUR MISSION IS TO CLOSE THE LITERACY GAP IN BK”: READ718’s Founder and executive irector, Cobble Hill resident Emily Kirven, announces she is stepping down and turning over her incredible non-profit to a new leader later this year. Read718 is currently working with 300 kids (and their families).  An amazing job opportunity! Question? Email: [email protected].

WHAT’S THAT RED THING IN THE BROOKLYN SKY? Though I asked in my most professional journalist voice to come observe the red drone flying from Brooklyn’s Pier 7 to Manhattan, I was told to wait a few weeks before they would consider my request. The drone is being evaluated by the Port Authority and NYC Economic Development Corporation to expedite, for example, critical medical lab samples from one hospital/lab to another. 

Big thanks to my volunteer editors, in no particular order, whenever I can beg, borrow and steal their help! Claudine Zap of Must Like Fog fame in SF and friends/neighbors, Cindi Leive and Mark Faas.