A drive-thru cannabis shop is coming to East Hartford, just over the Glastonbury line
New Cannabis Retail Facility in East Hartford to Feature Drive-Thru Pick-Up Option.
You won't be able to get a milkshake or a side of fries at this drive-thru, but you will be able to pick up your order of cannabis at the new retail facility planned for Main Street.
According to Shangri-La CT's application, which was recently approved by the town's Planning and Zoning Commission, customers of the new facility to be built at 32 Main St., near the Glastonbury border, will be able to register to become drive-thru customers.
The process would require a customer to enter the facility and present their identification, provide personal information, sign up for the drive-thru option, and make a purchase. Once they have signed up, they will be able to use the drive-thru for future purchases.
Once approved, customers will have to make their purchases online in advance. During that process they would request drive-thru pick-up, and drive up to the building and enter the four-car drive-thru lane. Once they reach the service window, they will provide their name, identification, and order number. Once confirmed, the customer would pay for their order, which would then be retrieved from a secure area and given to the customer.
Steve Hnatuk, East Hartford's deputy development director, said Tuesday that the company plans to demolish the single-family home at the site and build a new 6,500-square-foot, two-story facility that will feature 1,200 square feet for retail sales on the first floor and upstairs office space — with a tenant to be determined on the second floor.
The first floor, Hnatuk said, will also include a waiting area, vault, receiving room, and employee area. The business would be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The company's proposal says it expects to employ six to nine people.
According to the company's application, Shangri-La was founded in 2021 with an initial focus on providing access to medical cannabis. Its first location was in Columbia, Missouri, but the company has grown to include locations in Ohio, South Dakota, Illinois, and Connecticut. According to the company, it recently received zoning approval to open two recreational cannabis facilities in Norwalk, and one each in Plainville and Waterbury.
East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin said Tuesday that the town welcomes and supports new industries choosing to invest in East Hartford.
"Economic development like this helps the town and residents, and we are excited to welcome more new businesses," Martin said.
Company officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment Tuesday. No timeline was given for the facility's opening in the company's application.
The location of the business will be near the town line with Glastonbury, which banned cannabis sales in its town in 2023. At their Feb. 13 meeting, the Glastonbury Town Council members requested that Town Manager Jonathan Luiz communicate with East Hartford officials and make them aware of their concerns about a drive-thru pick-up window for cannabis.
Steven has been a reporter for more than 30 years, spending most of that time at the Hartford Courant. He has covered schools, crime, courts, politics, public safety and business and the mortgage industry. In his free time Steven enjoys camping, going to the beach, reading mysteries, discovering new IPAs and rollercoasters and spending time with his family.
