Three Proposals Submitted For New Cannabis Dispensary in South Jersey

According to New Jersey's Cannabis Regulatory Commission, there was over $1.16 billion in gross sales of recreational marijuana at NJ Retail Dispensaries in 2025. This continuing boom in Cannabis sales generated $67.5 million in sales tax for The Garden State last year.

This exponential growth of the Retail Cannabis Industry in just a few years has forced local municipalities around the state to change their public positions on the subject, and politicians to pivot in order to make sure they don't get left behind.

But in New Jersey's southernmost county, there are currently only three retail dispensaries in operation: Middle Township, West Cape May, and Lower Township. While neighboring Atlantic County has 20 active-adult-use cannabis retail locations, Cape May County only accounts for 0.01% of New Jersey's cannabis retail outlets.

This is why Upper Township took the bold step to create a new "overlay zone" to allow for the establishment of a new marijuana dispensary. Middle Township generated $97,000 in tax revenue from Cannabis sales in 2025.

Latest Update on the Future of Cannabis Sales in South Jersey

Four months ago, Upper Township delineated that there will not be any construction along Roosevelt Boulevard to erect any new plots of land or properties for the new Cannabis Outlet. So there was speculation about who was in the running to land the approval for the coming soon Marijuana Retail Outlet.

Details reported by the Cape May County Herald reveal there are three primary business operations that have submitted proposals to Upper Township:

*Formerly Obadiahs/ Sketties restaurant across the street from Yesterday's Creekside Tavern, both properties are owned by the Blue Dog Hospitality Group. Owned by Dr. Tim Fox, the proposal will create Roosevelt Botanicals LLC, a new company that will operate with the public facing name of Tidelands Limited Coastal Cannabis. Part of their proposal is to donate $50,000 community benefits payment or more, depending on annual sales.

*Owner of Boulevard Super Liquors, Dave Beyel, has submitted a proposal to create the Bayside Supply Company LLC for Retail Cannabis Sales. What makes this proposal different than the other two is that it was delivered to Upper Township with numerous letters of recommendation from local businesses and community leaders, including former Ocean City Councilman, and current State Assemblyman Antwan McClellan. The Beyel family has owned and operated Boulevard Super Liquors since 1938, and the family has been heavily invested in supporting the local community for decades.

*The abandoned building at 205 Roosevelt Boulevard is where Pappy’s Pig Roast & Barbecue used to be located; This is where Northeast Alternatives NJ LLC has submitted for their proposal. This is the only one of three proposals with retail cannabis experience, with a New Jersey location in Hamilton, Mercer County. Northeast Alternatives Founder and CEO, Chris Harkins, has partnered with local business owner Tim Tower, and they are promising 15 to 20 full-time jobs as part of their retail cannabis proposal.

Speculation is that Upper Township officials want to come to a consensus by the end of this summer on which proposal to give their backing to for that local business's application to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

The Three Cannabis Retail Outlets Currently Open in Cape May County:

-Coastline Dispensary (1580 Route 9 North) Middle Township
-Sea & Leaf (3860 Bayshore Road Suite 7) Lower Township
-Shore House Canna (124 Sunset Boulevard) West Cape May