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This Legacy-era rebel is taking Nuna Harvest to the moon

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In just a few months, Nuna Harvest has built one of the best teams in New York cannabis. Owner and legacy-operator Howie Rondinone recently told Leafly how he did it.

New York has always been a city of characters, with every industry from tech to fashion to cannabis full of people with lives that seem to play out like movies. Or, if you’re Nuna Harvest owner Howie Rondinone, your life has been a tv show. More specifically, a mix of Showtime’s Shameless and FX’s Sons of Anarchy.

“I was a latch key kid. I didn’t have a curfew. A lot of weapons in my (childhood) house, a lot of drugs, a lot of bikers, a lot of hippies…gritty but glamorous.”

Howard Rondinone, owner Nuna Harvest dispensary

Howie was born and raised in the Bronx by a German American mother, a hippie “rebel”, and an “outlaw biker” father for whom it was routine to drive his chopper up the six-floor walkup to their  apartment and leave it on the fire escape every night. He jokes that he attended all three Woodstock concerts, since his mother went while pregnant with him. It seemed predestined that he would work in the world of weed—legacy, legal, and all things in between. 

“My mother saw that I was interested in growing, so she start[ed] teaching me how to grow. Meanwhile, my dad’s got all these illegal grows, and he was importing from Jamaica and Columbia. I’m being nurtured into the retail side of it with my old man. He’s explaining to me how the importation works. And then I’m going with my mom, learning the actual plant. So that was sort of where I started.”

Howard Rondinone, owner Nuna Harvest dispensary

Howie learned the sensibilities needed to navigate a covert business in New York City in the ‘80s, and started dealing cannabis he got from his father at 12 to kids at school, scaling his way up. It was a period ripe for graffiti culture, and weed was an easy way to enter more and more subcultures.

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Despite his extracurricular activities, Howie was a good student, but he was admittedly, “always a money grubber.” As was en vogue at the time, he fell in with the Grateful Dead and Deadhead crowd, following them on tour and providing his services. It was through his mentor that he got an up-close look at importing cannabis from Jamaica, flattening pounds down into the heels of shoes to bring it into Florida. 

“From ‘91 to ‘99 I imported cannabis from Jamaica. I started with the shoes. I went all the way up to luggage, shipments of coffee, all kinds of importation. I seen people die. I almost got killed. We all went to jail.” 

Howard Rondinone, owner Nuna Harvest dispensary

Again, he doesn’t say any of this with gravitas. C’est la vie, right?

The ‘90s for Howie had three major arcs: running his international cannabis business, reconnecting with his high school girlfriend who’d become his wife and mother of his son Peter, and his cannabis arrests. First in Florida, then in New York; after Howie did his time, he did his best to enter civilian life. He got a normal, W-2 kind of job, and started a community little league for other Bronx children to keep them from following in his path, or worse. But all the while, he was still running his weed side-hustle. Never did he think he’d be able to put his best skills to work on the other side of the law.

It doesn’t look like an Apple store or a med spa. Howie himself has adorned the walls with his artwork, blending portraits of iconic figures like Snoop Dogg with the art style of Keith Harring. There’s an entire hallway dedicated to artwork that Howie and general manager Sherri McGee hope to source from local artists. He’s also the buyer, ensuring that his inventory reflects quality and appeals to the vast spectrum of characters.

Howie’s managerial style comes from his time in the legacy market. Most of his team also hail from the Bronx; some he coached in little league all those years ago. Next year, they hope to build out a lounge and open the space for consumption. But for now, it’s about running Nuna the same way he ran his previous empire.

“I want it to be like a big, warm hug when you walk in. If I could put couches all over the place and let you sit here all day, I would.”

Howard Rondinone, owner Nuna Harvest dispensary



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New weed shops of America: Miami’s first MMJ shop opens

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Who needs new weed shops? We do. Miami gets its first medical dispensary, New Mexico welcomes a massive cannabis superstore, and a Detroit rapper brings legal weed to 8 Mile. Here are the new dispensary openings across America this month.

Got a new shop? Put it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise. 

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Arizona

new weed shops near me
(Courtesy Ponderosa)

Ponderosa Dispensary— Tucson, AZ. Opened Jan. 18. Firstly, let’s start with the desert. Tuscon just got a little greener thanks to the arrival of Ponderosa Dispensary. Stocking over 20 premiere cannabis brands, Ponderosa aka the Pondy also scores bragging rights for having the largest selection of in-house brands Canamo Concentrates and Sonoran Roots available anywhere in Tucson. Other highlights include friendly, informed budtenders and a “full-sensory” shopping experience. 3008 N. Stone Ave, Tucson. 

California

Urbana Oakland— Oakland, CA. Opened Jan. 17. You’ll have to get your order of fries somewhere else as former burger joint Luke’s Taproom has now officially reopened as the latest outpost of Urbana’s chain of NorCal dispensaries. Specifically, the updated digs “preserve the industrial charm of the property while adding modern, welcoming touches” that include consumption lounges and a “vibrant calendar of events that celebrates local art, culture, and education.” 415 W Grand, Oakland.

Florida

Ayr Wellness—Miami, FL. Opened Jan. 10. It took long enough, but Miami’s first medical cannabis dispensary is now finally open. In the works with the City of Miami since 2016, Ayr Wellness has at last opened the chain’s 67th location in the state. Offering a full menu of flower, vape carts, edibles, and more, representatives for Ayr shared their hope to cater to “underserved medical marijuana patients” at their Midtown store, which is located within a shopping district that draws heavy foot traffic. 3160 N. Miami Ave, Miami.

Maryland

The Forest—Baltimore, MD. Opened Jan. 18. Don’t mistake the trees for The Forest because both are welcome additions to the scene in Baltimore. Marking Maryland’s first vertically integrated social equity license to open shop, The Forest is African American and Latina majority-owned and plans to situate their business as a “holistic wellness experience with access to high-quality cannabis products” including concentrates, pre-rolls, and topicals. 3301 Boston St, Baltimore. 

Michigan

Fly Shifter Cannabis—Detroit, MI. Opened Jan. 11. Don’t tell Poppa Doc but Detroit’s 8 Mile has a new heavyweight in the form of Fly Shifter Cannabis from homegrown rapper and entrepreneur Lou “Big Shifter” Gram. Perks include a plethora of premium cannabis products, a Shifter’s Only Club providing loyalty rewards, and an ongoing commitment to supporting Detroit’s “local economy and cultural landscape.” 6220 8 Mile Rd, Detroit. 

Missouri

CODES—Kansas City, MO. Opened Jan. 18. Comedian and cannabis enthusiast/entrepreneur Jim Belushi was on hand to welcome Kansas City’s newest dispensary to the party. Billed as “one of the fastest-growing brands in Missouri’s cannabis industry,” CODES prides itself on offering premium cannabis products, including exclusive cultivars, edibles, and concentrates, designed to cater to a “broad spectrum of Kansas City’s diverse clientele.” 668 E Red Bridge Rd, Kansas City. 

New Jersey

new weed shops near me
(Courtesy Budzooka)

Budzooka—Elizabeth, NJ. Opened Jan. 29. The proudly Hispanic-owned Budzooka Dispensary has officially opened in the home of a former bank in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Featuring a clean interior flecked with splashes of bright color, Budzooka also offers a “bud bar” where customers can see and smell the various types of cannabis flower available for sale. The shop’s menu also includes an extensive list of vapes, concentrates, edibles, and even a few MSO (multi-state operator) brands like Loud Labs and Nova Farms. 142 Broad St, Elizabeth.

New Mexico

Mango Cannabis—Sunland Park, NM. Opened Jan. 22. If there’s one thing New Mexico was missing, it’s a 9,000-square-foot cannabis superstore. Thankfully, Mango Cannabis has fixed the issue by opening the state’s largest dispensary (to date) last month. Capable of processing 2,000 to 3,0000 order per day, the Sunland Park location is set to carry over 3,000 SKUS (products) that include “the top [hundred] most popular brands in the state.” 1051 McNutt Road, Sunland Park. 

New York

Kaya Bliss— Brooklyn, NY. Opened Jan. 9. The new weed shops of New York keep coming. Once a hair salon, the confines of Brooklyn’s Kaya Bliss have a decidedly different vibe these days. Customers visiting Bay Ridge’s first licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary can look forward to walls decorated with murals, comprehensively trained budtenders, and over 400 products from more than 30 brands to choose from. Purchases can be made either at the registers or at conveniently located in-store kiosks. 8412 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn. 

The Herb Cave—Plattsburgh, NY. Opened Dec. 27. Northern New York scored a big win with the opening of the first woman-owned, licensed cannabis dispensary in the Plattsburgh region last month. With a menu featuring “a variety of craft cannabis products sourced from smaller farms and micro-businesses throughout New York State,” The Herb Cave prides itself as a “experienced, reliable, established” legacy business here to solve your cannabis needs. 19 State Rte 3, Plattsburgh. 

Pennsylvania

Terrapin Care Station—Bellefonte, PA. Opened Jan. 9. One year after Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the bill ushering in a new era of legal medical cannabis in Pennsylvania, independent medical cannabis grower and processor Terrapin has launched a store in Bellefonte. The site marks the first of three planned locations for Terrapin, including forthcoming stores in Lewisburg (Kelly Township) and Lock Haven (Woodward Township). Dates for the latter two stores remain yet to be announced but are expected soon. 205 Park Place, Bellefonte. 

In conclusion—it’s a tremendous time for medical and adult-use cannabis access. Just look at all these new weed shops near you. Did we miss any? Leave a comment with a new one.

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Alto Dispensary is a family affair in Tribeca

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Smoking a joint with your siblings is a sacred teenage tradition, something that bonds you across clouds of smoke—a furtive secret you all keep from your parents. For the five Savocchi siblings, it seemed an innocent enough past time during their childhood in Queens. But it was also prequel to their eventual entry into New York’ adult-use cannabis industry. 

Now, on the streets of Tribeca, locals, tourists, and medical patients alike can stop and smell both the literal and cannabis flowers of Alto dispensary. It’s quite literally a family affair—siblings André, Stephanie, Nicole, Daniela, and Sarah, and parents Guido and Sandra man the ship and tend the bar, even as most of them juggle day jobs (for now).

“It’s been a wild ride to get here.”

Nicole Savocchi

The five siblings smoked together, but their parents were hip too—it was Guido’s cannabis arrest in the ‘90s that qualified them for the license, though the interest had been there for years. Sandra was the first to alert the family after hearing about the passing of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act in 2021. 

“I heard it on the radio going to work,” she says. “When I heard that this program was available, I’m like, ‘this is for us.’ Right away, I phoned André, and I said, ‘I just heard this, this and this. It’s going to be a difficult process I hear, but we have to do it.’ And he ran with it.”

André is the baby of the family, but he’s the driving force behind Alto. He’d delved the deepest into the cannabis world, including research in other states, and is the only sibling full-time at the store. During its intense renovation, he donned a white hazmat suit and got his hands dirty.

“At times, it definitely kind of feels like we’re building a plane as we’re flying it, just trying to navigate this new landscape. To now be open, we’re all just definitely happy to be here and be a part of the Tribeca community. There’s definitely a unique synergy and chemistry in our work.”

André Savocchi

He also curates the store’s menu, which includes multi-state brands like Wyld Gummies, Kiva Confections, and Select vapes as well as local hits like MFNY concentrates and Umami flower. The menu has to reflect all the multitudes of New York, just like the shop’s environment.

Customers waltzing through Tribeca’s artsy alleys won’t find anyone not named Savocchi on the floor by design. It should feel like coming to your cool family friend’s house, whether you want something to liven up your evening or have a need for something medicinal.

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If you don’t partake, you can still buy the other kind of flowers in the front of the store. Alto’s Tribeca shop also has a second-floor space that will one day (Office of Cannabis Management permitting) become an events and consumption lounge.

Until then, if you’re in Tribeca, why not stop in and smell the flowers?

“I think when we’re all together, we’re not workers. We all have that level of dedication. People walk in, they’re like, ‘Oh, this feels so nice here. This definitely feels like a family vibe,’ even before they even know we’re family. They can actually feel that energy.”

Stephanie Savocchi

Savocchi family stands proudly in front of their dispensary.
(Courtesy Andre Savocchi)



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2024

These states sold more than $1 billion in weed in 2024

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What exactly is a billion dollars? Well, it’s the amount of money you’d make on a North American tour…if you were Taylor Swift. Or the stack of cash that Deadpool & Wolverine brought in at the box office. Or the estimated GDP of the South Pacific Ocean nation of Vanuatu.

When it comes to cannabis, the figure offers a snapshot of a state industry’s strength. But it doesn’t necessarily reflect population data. Nor is it limited to states that have boasted legal weed for a long time, or even states that have rec programs at all.

As we dive headfirst into 2025, we’ve put together a list of the states that crossed the $1 billion threshold last year, as well as some of the market trends those states illuminated. Buckle up, and prepare to be surprised.

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Arizona

In 2024, Arizona fell hundreds of millions of dollars short of maintaining the epic sales run it had in 2023—that year, retailers sold $1.4 billion of cannabis. Nevertheless, Arizona held on to its status as a member of the “Billion Dollar” club in 2024. Last year, Arizona also continued to see its share of medical marijuana revenue shrink; it was down to about 17% of total sales, from 21% the year prior.

California

A row of buds in a contest case under white light. little placards behind each bud give descriptors like dessert. photo by David Downs for Leafly at the emerald cup 2023.
May the best bud win. The Emerald Cup contestant case in Richmond, CA. (David Downs/Leafly)

Despite its huge illicit market, California remains The Big Kahuna of cannabis. In 2024, the Golden State sold an estimated $4.27 billion of legal weed. According to state data, flower comprised nearly 40% of all sales, vapes counted for about a quarter of sales, and edibles made up roughly 10%. California was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, but medical marijuana only comprised 8% of total cannabis sales in 2024.

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Colorado

The Colorado cannabis industry, alas, did not have a great 2024. Wholesale prices fell, and the state reported $1.28 billion sales, its lowest numbers since 2015. As our friend Mona Zhang at Politico reported last year, the trend has other states worried. Here’s to hoping Colorado has a big 2025!

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Florida

Even though Florida failed to pass adult-use legalization last November (thanks to the state’s 60% vote threshold), the Sunshine State’s medical program still outpaces many of its fully legal peers. According to data from the Brightfield Group, Florida dispensaries sold $2.1 billion of medical marijuana in 2024. 

Illinois

Unlike some of the original rec states, Illinois saw its cannabis market continue to grow in 2024: The state sold nearly $1.8 billion of marijuana, a high point since sales began in 2020. In more good news, Illinois has officially expunged over 20,000 cannabis-related convictions since 2020. A big bravo to the Land of Lincoln!

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Maryland

a dozen-odd people outside a dispensary with a blue grand opening banner in front of them and a Black man holding a gigantic pair of blue scissors
Far & Dotter cut the ribbon on legal cannabis in Maryland. (Leafly)

Even though Maryland only launched its rec program in July 2023, the state industry has blossomed rapidly. In the 2024 calendar year, Maryland generated $1.14 billion in adult-use and medical marijuana sales. We suspect that’s resulted in a significant bump to the state’s Old Bay-dusted crab leg market as well.

Massachusetts

It ain’t just Illinois. Massachusetts also had its biggest sales year ever in 2024: A grand total of $1.64 billion of cannabis. Shout-out to the state’s Cannabis Control Commission for highlighting Worcester County as the “cannabis capital of Massachusetts”—$1.4 billion of sales have occurred there since 2018!

Michigan

Even though it now faces competition from neighboring Ohio, Michigan still pulled off a record year in 2024. The Great Lake State sold $3.29 billion of cannabis last year, a 7% increase from 2023. And for context, Michigan has only one-quarter the population of California, but three-quarters the amount of cannabis sales. Wolverines love their weed! 

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Missouri

Missouri dispensary Greenlight hosts Underground—legal cannabis farmers markets. (Courtesy Greenlight)
Missouri dispensary Greenlight hosts Underground—legal cannabis farmers markets. (Courtesy Greenlight)

Missouri’s adult-use program only launched two years ago, but business is booming in the Show-Me State. In 2024, retailers there sold $1.4 billion of cannabis. According to LKP Impact Consulting, men purchased nearly two-thirds of all that pot, and Millennials made up 40% of all shoppers. 

Pennsylvania

While the eternal legal pot booster Senator John Fetterman has yet to seal the deal in his home state, Pennsylvania’s medical market is still doing big business. Dispensaries sold over $1.6 billion of medical marijuana in 2024 to over 440,000 patients. Unlike in Colorado, rapidly sinking wholesale prices in Pennsylvania led to more purchases, not less.

Washington

Cannabis sales in Washington State have been on a minor but consistent decline for the past few years, but the state is nonetheless expected to have generated $1.2 billion in 2024, when all the numbers get crunched. That’s roughly the same sales total as Colorado, even though Washington is home to nearly two million more people.

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See, we told you there would be some surprises!

At least 11 states racked up medical and adult-use cannabis sales over $1 billion in 2024. Don’t forget—you can double those totals when you count illicit cannabis, too. Nearly 88% of US voters now support medical or adult-use. It’s clear that cannabis is huge, and states can choose to either reasonably regulate and tax it, or hand over those dollars to the streets or competing states.



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