FRAMINGHAM, MA - Trulieve, one of the five Framingham cannabis dispensaries located on Worcester Road, (Route 9), has announced it will be closing up shop on June 30th, 2023.

In a June 1, 2023 press release to investors Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE:TRUL / OTCQX:TCNNF) a Florida based publicly traded cannabis company announced "additional measures to preserve cash and improve financial performance" then went on to list Trulieve store closings in Framingham, Northampton and Worcester, MA as well as some California and Nevada retail and wholesale markets they were exiting.

Trulieve held their Framingham grand opening on Sunday, April 3, 2022 -- fourteen short months later they are closing up shop -- possibly as the first victim of a retail marijuana price war in the area.

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Counting Trulieve, there are a total five recreational and medial marijuana dispensaries all located within a short stretch of Worcester Road, (known locally as "Rt. 9").

The Framingham marijuana retail shops (running east to west along Rt. 9) are:

• Trulieve at 85 Worcester Rd., (Rt. 9) Framingham, MA
• Sunnyside Cannabis at 250 Worcester Rd., (Rt. 9) Framingham, MA
• UpTop Dispensary at 315 Worcester Rd., (Rt. 9) Framingham, MA
• Union Twist at 630 Worcester Rd., (Rt. 9) Framingham, MA
• Nova Farms at 1137 Worcester Rd., (Rt. 9) Framingham, MA

A sixth Framingham cannabis dispensary, Temescal Wellness is located at 665 Cochituate Rd, not far from Rt. 9 via Speen Street.

In addition to the Framingham retailers two Natick dispensaries, ("Redi" and another called "Bountiful Farms") are located just over the Framingham/Natick town line and a few hundred yards off Rt. 9 add to the competition.

The majority of marijuana retailers including Trulieve are located along what is known as "The Golden Mile", a stretch of Route 9 running from Speen Street at Rt. 9 west to the Rt. 126 / Rt. 9 overpass.

The last marijuana retail store to open in Framingham was Union Twist, in May of 2022, a month after Trulive opened.

Although also located on Rt. 9, Union Twist is a mile west of the Golden Mile, (opposite Whole Foods at the Prospect Street / Rt. 9 intersection).

From the day they opened Union Twist promoted itself with the slogan "Affordable Cannabis" and has interior signage saying "A GOOD TIME DOESN'T HAVE TO COME AT A HIGH PRICE".

Prior to Union Twist's opening nearly all marijuana retailers in the area were charging $60 or more for an 1/8th of an ounce of marijuana "flower", (3.5 grams of buds).

Union Twist set off the price war offering dozens of strains of cannabis in the $25 to $30 range for an eighth of an ounce.

A recent survey of prices for Framingham marijuana retailers found most offering 3.5g packages in the same price range as Union Twist, ($25-$30/3.5g).

Some stores have gone further such as Sunnyside Cannabis offering 50% Off several strains with prices as low as $12.50 for 3.5g (of "Southie Adams / Horchata Flower -- price advertised on website June 2, 2023).

Most Framingham marijuana retailers' websites now show discounted pricing and "specials" on cannabis products compared to a survey 24 month ago when no discount pricing appeared on any of the same websites.

It may take some time before the true market value of legal marijuana will settle out. In the mean time customers can enjoy the lower prices and choose which retailers they think offer the best products, prices and customer service.

###