RED HOOK, N.Y. — Brian Seiler and Ben Abrahams delivered an early Christmas present to the pot-smoking residents of Red Hook and the larger community when, just in time for the holiday season, they opened the doors to Upstate Pines, the first recreational cannabis dispensary in Northern Dutchess.

The dispensary, located at 7345 South Broadway across from the Town Hall in a space that was formerly a dance studio, opened on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Since that first day, the pair said, the business has seen a steady flow of patrons excited by the prospect of purchasing cannabis products in their own backyard.

“People are loving it,” Seiler said during a recent interview. “Everybody loves the cannabis plant and all the different ways you can consume the plant.”

Abrahams added, “The town has been very happy about it. I see teachers, local people in the area that I’ve known for years coming in excited and saying how happy they are that we’re here and they don’t have to drive to Massachusetts anymore.”

Said Seiler, “People who grew up here say they could never imagine being able to buy cannabis legally, not to mention a store in Red Hook.”

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays.

The pair said that in the coming weeks, they plan to launch a delivery service for customers who either can’t or don’t want to purchase their cannabis products in person.

“Especially for the older people, it’s just going to really appeal to them because they can’t really get out on their own,” Abrahams said.

Seiler said they expect the service to appeal to those who, despite the legalization of cannabis, might be concerned about the stigma of being seen in a pot shop.

“We’ll be able to bring it to you, nice and discreet,” he said.

Upstate Pines carries a variety of cannabis products, from flower to vapes and edibles to tinctures. Many of the products they sell come from local farmers and businesses, a source of pride for the two men, who call Northern Dutchess home.

“We pride ourselves in trying to find local farmers,” said Abrahams, a 2010 Red Hook High School graduate

Seiler, who moved to the community six years ago, said, “Most of (the products) are from the Hudson Valley, so a lot of the stuff that you buy here is grown here, in the same backyard you would have your garden in.”

Abrahams added, “Grown in the same Red Hook soil. It’s cool. We’re happy to say that.”

Their dedication to being local is evident not only in the products they carry but also in the decor of the dispensary. Hanging from the ceiling is a small red hook, which is the symbol of the village of Red Hook. Stretching across the top of the wall is a mural of the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. A red hook can also be spotted in a mural that runs along one wall in the dispensary.

“It’s important to us,” said Abrahams of the local connection.

“We just have this love for the cannabis plant and for the town,” Seiler said. “We live in Red Hook and we love Red Hook.”

According to the state Office of Cannabis Management, as of Wednesday, March 12, there were 323 recreational dispensaries statewide. Of those, six — including Upstate Pines — are located in Dutchess County. The other dispensaries in Dutchess County are in Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, and Beacon.

There are 10 recreational dispensaries in Ulster County, one in Greene County, and one in Columbia County, according to the state.