It’s high times at the Apollo!
The first state-licensed marijuana store in Harlem is set to open at 248 125th Street across from the famed Apollo Theater despite fierce opposition from local merchants and politicians.
Gotham Buds, which will be run by operators with Harlem roots, is tentatively scheduled to open on September 5 after beating back a lawsuit filed by the 125th Street Business Improvement District, The Post has learned.
The 125th BIDS board of directors includes a top executive at the Apollo, but the pot show must go on after Gotham Buds also survived a separate legal challenge.
There is a court injunction currently blocking the state Office of Cannabis Management from opening or licensing any more weed retail stores after a judge ruled regulators likely broke the law by favoring convicted pot peddlers over disabled veterans and other social equity applicants in awarding coveted licenses.
A judge granted Gotham Buds and nearly two dozen other cannabis operators an exemption from the injunction because they cleared all regulatory hurdles and were on the verge of opening.
Only 23 licensed cannabis retail stores have opened in the state since the legislature legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2021, just nine of them in New York City.
Gotham Buds vows to be a good neighbor to the Apollo and other merchants along 125th Street, as well as the Greater Harlem community.
“The Apollo is a community landmark. We hope to become a cultural landmark. We want to be part of the 125th Street legacy and hope to earn their trust,” said Gotham Buds co-founder Omar Tejada.
“It’s an excellent location for a new cannabis license. We have ties and relationships with the community. We want to approach this community with a conscience,” said Tejada, a construction engineer who has restored Harlem brownstones.
Co-founder Gregory Gray, a lifelong Harlemite who formerly was a wireless operating engineer at AT&T, said the cannabis venture is personal to him.
He attended PS 197, Adam Clayton Powell Middle School and Rice HS.
One of his classmates was Kevin Hale, the son of Clara Hale or Mother Hales, who founded the famous Hale House Center that was home to disadvantaged kids and children born addicted to drugs.
Gray is a strong believer that marijuana can help heal and relieve pain.
His 22-year-old son suffers from Renal Medullary Carcinoma that affects the kidneys and his 91-year-old has Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Cannabis helped my son eat. There’s a lot of propaganda about the cannabis plant. We want to educate customers the right way,” Gray said.
“I promised my son I would be an advocate. It’s our journey together. Cannabis helped him tremendously.”
Gray said Gotham Buds wants to distribute other medical information to Harlem residents to help live healthier lifestyles and detect and treat diseases prevalent in the black and brown community, such as sickle cell anemia.
“It’s not just about cannabis,” he said.
Tejada agreed, saying, “We’re about holistic health and educating people about bad consumption habits.”
Jeffrey Lopez, Gotham Buds’ chief operating officer, said he’s come full circle and considers operating a legal cannabis shop a dream come true.
He racked up pot peddling convictions at a young age and his rap sheet nearly destroyed him, forcing him to leave John Jay College.
“I ended up becoming a legacy operator [illegal pot/drug dealer],” he said.
“Our mission is to educate young people not to get lost in the criminal justice system. You will get lost in the criminal justice system.” Tejada said of Lopez after interviewing him for the job, “He’s got business in his DNA. His entrepreneurial spirit is impressive.”
Yet there are powerful Harlem opponents who are booing the ganga store off stage. “I didn’t want the cannabis store at that site,” said state Assemblywoman Inez Dickens (D-Harlem).
“We have a lot of drug treatment centers and other social service facilities along 125th Street. People are getting high along the street. Even the governor and mayor have recognized oversaturation.”
The lawmaker also said shoplifting has been a major problem, with both Rite Aid and Duane Reed stores closing on 125th Street and worries about the cannabis store being a target of thieves.
The bud operators acknowledged some initial backlash from the leadership of the Harlem 125th Street BID, but said they met with neighboring merchants to alleviate fears and are confident they will be welcomed.
The Apollo declined comment.