Botera Harrison Second Cannabis Dispensary In The Town of Harrison

Botera Harrison Cannabis Dispensary has officially opened its doors at 701 North Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard, making it the second cannabis retail location in Harrison and solidifying the town’s role as the only municipality in West Hudson currently offering legal recreational marijuana sales.

Botera's Harrison location joins its sister Botera dispensary along Route 22 Eastbound in Union, NJ. The Harrison store is situated on the north end of town near the Kearny border, in the North Rodgers Mini Mall which offers convenient parking and accessibility. The store operates daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., welcoming adult customers aged 21 and older through a secure check-in process. Shoppers may browse the store in person or place online orders for in-store pickup via the Botera website.

Harrison’s first entry into the legal cannabis marketplace came with the opening of the Cookies Harrison dispensary, a flashy and much-publicized launch that drew attention both locally and from across the state. Located on the south side of town at 331 Cifelli Drive—next to the Harrison PATH Station—the Cookies store is part of a national cannabis brand co-founded by rapper and entrepreneur Berner. Like Botera, it is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and features both in-person and online shopping options.

Cookies made headlines not just for their celebrity connections and their opening-day fanfare but for a subsequent branded street fair that took over the side streets surrounding the store. However, the event drew criticism from nearby residents after it was revealed that public access to the fair was limited to individuals who made purchases from the dispensary. Community members expressed frustration at a subsequent Harrison Mayor & Council meeting, noting that local families and non-customers were effectively excluded from participating in an event held in a public space. Since then, the Cookies dispensary has not held any similar public events, and the surrounding community appears satisfied with the quieter presence.

The town’s two cannabis outlets were not strategically positioned on opposite sides of Harrison. Botera was not one of the original two vendors who were given authority to sell cannabis in the Town of Harrison. The two entities, one of which was Cookies, were supposed to be next to each other in the SOHA (Southern Harrison) neighborhood.  The Botera Harrison store is in NOHA (Northern Harrison), which minimizes overlap and offers accessibility to different sections of the municipality.

The placement of the Botera Harrison store is close to school zones, which was pointed out in a previous article.  Although you can’t sell to anyone under 21 years old, do children exposed to cannabis stores on the way to school get the message that cannabis is harmless?  Cannabis is not harmless, and advertising contains disclaimers and warnings such as “Keep out of the reach of children.  There may be health risks associated with the consumption of cannabis, including for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. Do not drive a motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery after consuming or smoking cannabis.”

In nearby Kearny, the Mayor & Council opted not to permit recreational cannabis sales, barring dispensaries from opening in the town. Neighboring East Newark, on the other hand, approved the concept of allowing a cannabis store within its borders, but as of now, no retail location has opened. It was rumored that one was opening in a former bank building directly across the street from the new Botera Harrison store.

With both Botera and Cookies now fully operational, Harrison stands alone in West Hudson as a destination for legal adult-use cannabis, potentially attracting visitors and economic activity from neighboring towns. However, cannabis stores are not embraced by all residents. Time will tell if the Mayor & Council of Kearny got it correct when they banned cannabis stores in their town.

For more information or to browse available products, customers can visit Botera's website or Cookies’ Harrison site. All customers must be 21 or older with valid identification to enter either store.

Additional Articles:

Top 10 Things You Should Know About New Jersey's Cannabis Law

Harrison's 701 North Rodgers Mall Has A Lot To Offer

Cannabis Store Seeks Move Putting It Close To Town Schools

Leave your thoughts about this article on our Community Discussion Board. If you haven't joined yet? Sign up now for free.

In case you get hungry, check out our local Restaurants page with menus and contact information.