‘It Takes A Village…To Build Generational Wealth’: NBA’s Al Harrington On His Full Circle Moment And Opening NJ Cannabis Dispensary
“It takes a village to do anything great in life,” says NBA star turned cannabis entrepreneur Al Harrington in an exclusive interview with Benzinga Cannabis, repeating a mantra that has guided him throughout his career. As he reflects on the recent opening of Village Dispensary in Hoboken, New Jersey, the significance of this moment is not lost on him. It’s a return home for Harrington, a personal victory tied to a broader mission: redefining the cannabis landscape, particularly for communities of color that have been disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs.
The Hoboken dispensary, Village Brands’ first East Coast location is more than just another store in the company’s growing portfolio. It marks a full-circle moment for Harrington, who recalls when the streets of New Jersey were hostile to young men like him. “I’m really happy that we finally got something here in my own state,” Harrington says, referencing the years of anticipation that led to this launch. “People for years have been asking, ‘When are we gonna be able to get some product?’ Now I can say, go to 516 Washington and buy as much as you can.”
A ‘Full Circle’ Moment
The Village Dispensary opened its doors in a location where Harrington was once stopped and frisked as a teenager. The shop’s presence in that same neighborhood is symbolic. “It’s a full circle moment to open a dispensary in the state where I was stopped and frisked as a kid who had never even touched flower,” Harrington said. He acknowledged the irony of not only opening a legal cannabis store but doing so with local government support, including the mayor and city officials.
Village Brands, founded in 2019 by Harrington and his business partner Dan Pettigrew aims to expand its cannabis footprint beyond Viola, …