Main Street Medicinals: Safe, secure, and stink-free

Developer hosts community outreach meeting on proposed marijuana facility. 

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A rendering of the Main Street Medicinals building proposed for 65 Mechanic St. in Vineyard Haven. — Screenshot

Main Street Medicinals plans a $5 million retail, cultivation, and marijuana processing facility at 65 Mechanic St. in Vineyard Haven, Josh Silver, a consultant on the project who holds two licenses off-Island, said Monday night. If the facility receives all of its approvals, it could be open in about a year, replacing an auto repair shop, Silver said.

Silver and Main Street Medicinals principal Noah Eisendrath, a seasonal resident of the Island, held a community outreach meeting Monday via Zoom. Ashley Tan of the Prince Lobel law firm moderated the meeting.

The community outreach meeting is a requirement of applying for a license with the state’s Cannabis Control Commission. Though Main Street Medicinals had already held a similar meeting in October 2019, too much time has passed to meet the state’s requirements, Silver said: “Because of that, we’re doing it again.”

The company has negotiated a host community agreement with the town that was approved in April. In that agreement, the town will receive $20,000 per year for affordable housing, $2,500 to a nonprofit designated by the town, and 3 percent of the facility’s gross revenues.

The retail facility will be open from 10 am to 8 pm daily. There are 20 parking spaces, and there will likely be 10 employees working at the facility. If parking becomes an issue, employees will be asked to park offsite, Silver said.

During peak hours, Silver said, a traffic study showed only 10 to 12 vehicles per hour will be added as a result of the marijuana sales.

Only four people, one of them this Times reporter, were in the audience for the Zoom session. None of those people spoke; instead they were asked to submit questions in writing through the Zoom app. Questions ranged from the hours of operation to the feasibility of competing with another facility planned on Mechanic Street by Patient Centric.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe in its financial viability. We’re certainly aware of the other facility on Mechanic Street. We believe the demand is there,” Silver said. “We wouldn’t do it unless it made good business sense to do it.”

Silver and Eisendrath sought to reassure the public that the facility will be secure. “Anywhere at the facility, inside and out, is monitored by camera,” Silver said, noting the camera setup will be inspected by the state commission. They also pre-emptively touched on keeping the drugs out of the hands of minors. Eisendrath, who owns two bars in the Boston area, has been cited for serving alcohol to minors.

“I did have issues. There were issues in the papers on the Vineyard that I had underage customers in the bar, which did happen unfortunately,” Eisendrath said. “Not to make excuses, but ID technology and fake IDs have gotten very good.”

During Monday’s meeting, Eisendrath displayed a $5,000 card-reading system he’s purchased for his bar businesses to detect fraudulent IDs. Since purchasing the equipment, he hasn’t had the same problems that got him cited previously, he said.

“You’ll need access with your ID, with your valid ID, no matter how old you look,” Eisendrath said. “You have to be identified. There are two different points where you need to show your ID, and with this technology, we don’t see it being an issue.”

IDs will also be checked by an employee inside, Silver said.

In answer to a question, Eisendrath said he will be full-time onsite. “My family and I are moving to the Vineyard. We do have a seasonal house and a year-round home. I’m going to be there full-time,” he said. “There are so many moving parts. My role is to be there every day and being on top of the daily operations and whatever it takes.”

Silver also sought to alleviate any concerns that the facility would create an odor. Because the cultivation is being done indoors, any smells will be contained.

In answer to a question from The Times, Silver said solar panels are being considered for the building, though they have not yet consulted with a structural engineer. “There’s a strong business reason to do that,” he said. “Cultivating cannabis indoors is an energy-intensive affair, so it helps to offset it with solar panels. We’ve talked to solar panel vendors, and they’re interested in the project.”

Per Cannabis Control Commission regulations, employment preference will be given to individuals convicted of minor drug possession crimes prior to marijuana being legalized, Silver said: “The state found it especially vexing that there were people that had been in prison for the same exact conduct that Noah and I are going to attempt to make a living off of.”

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