While Jersey City has seen a plethora of dispensaries open since the state legalized recreational marijuana, the first consumption lounge in Hudson County will officially be launching this weekend in McGinley Square.
The Lounge at Xena is slated to launch on October 2 with a Grand Opening from noon until 11 p.m. The first day of business will feature Jadakiss as a celebrity guest “budtender” at the lounge, located in the basement of the existing Xena Dispensary at 759A Bergen Avenue.
Jersey Digs reported last summer on the dispensary’s opening, founded by owner Haytham Elgawly. He ran The Clearport out of the same storefront for about six years before pivoting to the dispensary.
Elgawly is a Jersey City lifer and graduated from William L. Dickinson High School in 2006. He went on to attend New Jersey City University and the Art Institute of NYC before working at big corporations like Hyatt, Bank of America, and Honda Motor Company.
Drawing inspiration from Xenia – the ancient Greek concept of hospitality – Xena’s mission is to provide customers with a welcoming and inclusive experience. The lounge itself, which seats about 50 guests, was designed to feel more like an upscale social venue than a traditional cannabis space…