Bay Ridge’s first legal adult-use cannabis dispensary is set to finally open Tuesday following a lengthy regulatory process and community pushback.

Kaya Bliss, located on Third Avenue between 84th and 85th streets, will welcome customers for a soft opening on Jan. 7, with hours from noon to 8 p.m.

Co-owner Edgar Kleydman expressed excitement and relief at finally receiving approval to open from the New York State Office of Cannabis Management in early December, narrowly avoiding delays caused by a Dec. 13 ruling from a state judge in Albany that temporarily halted the processing of cannabis license applications.

“I’m nervous because nothing is ever perfect, nothing’s ever finished, but it is what it is,” Kleydman said ahead of the opening. “That’s why we’re doing the soft opening: so we can just take it slow, get everybody accustomed to it, get to know our customers a little bit, and get to know the product better so we can sell it better.”

Kaya Bliss has faced significant hurdles since beginning its application process with OCM in May 2023. Alongside regulatory challenges, the dispensary also encountered resistance from some community members opposed to the first legal cannabis store in Bay Ridge.

Community Board 10 voted on June 20, 2024, to recommend OCM deny Kaya Bliss’ application. The vote followed a contentious public meeting where residents voiced concerns about the dispensary’s proximity to schools, houses of worship, and a local daycare.

Although the dispensary’s application adhered to cannabis laws prohibiting retail storefronts within 500 feet of schools or 200 feet of houses of worship, critics pointed to the nearby Home Sweet Home Child Day Care Center, located within 500 feet of the site. The OCM, however, does not classify daycare centers as schools under its guidelines.

The community board’s advisory vote was followed by a rally on June 24, where Assembly Members Michael Tannousis and Alec Brook-Krasny joined U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis in urging OCM to reject the application. In a letter to the agency, the lawmakers argued that the dispensary’s presence would expose minors to cannabis, despite existing age restrictions.

Given the advisory role community boards play in the rollout of Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licenses, Kaya Bliss’ application proceeded after meeting all OCM requirements.

“As long as you have your site protection, and as long as you have everything dotted and all your t’s crossed, it doesn’t really matter,” Kleydman said of the board’s objections.

Kleydman remains optimistic that the community’s concerns will ease as Kaya Bliss becomes an established presence in the neighborhood. During a tour of the 2,000-square-foot facility last year, he emphasized to Brooklyn Paper the importance of education and dialogue with skeptical residents.

“There’s a really small percentage of the neighborhood that doesn’t understand this yet,” Kleydman said. “I realized that just talking to the few who did not understand this and showing them what this is really about gives them peace of mind and understanding.”