Fresno finally approves its weed dispensary licenses. Here are the 21 locations

Fresno finally has the full list of businesses that will be allowed to sell retail cannabis within the city.

The city’s Office of Cannabis Oversight announced on Wednesday that all 21 of the available retail business licenses were given preliminary approval. Pending appeals, the dispensaries — three in each of Fresno’s seven voting districts — could be open in early December, or earlier, according to a timeline from the city.

The list includes four so-called social-equity licensees, given to companies that met a specific set of criteria. Three of those approvals had already been announced last month. A fourth — Roeding Leaf Inc., at 207 E Sierra Ave. — was added in this final round.

Of the approved businesses, several have been anticipated.

That includes Lemonnade, the branded dispensary planned for the former Bank of America branch in Fresno’s Tower District. Lemonnade is part of the Cookies chain of dispensaries started by Bay Area rapper-turned-weed-entrepreneur Berner.

(On a related note: Berner is performing at Chukchansi Park on Saturday.)

The Artist Tree, a Los Angeles-based cannabis dispensary and art gallery, won approval for two locations in Fresno. It will take over 1426 Van Ness Avenue, which once housed music venues like the Oly, then Club Fred and Audie’s Olympic Tavern. The building was last used as a tap room for Full Circle Brewing Company. The second Artist Tree location will be in the Park Place shopping center at Palm and Nees avenues in north Fresno.

Culture Cannabis Club will also have two locations: at 314 E. Bullard Ave. (Bullard and 41) and 2590 S. Maple Ave. in Calwa. The dispensary is partly owned by Barigye McCoy, a one-time city council hopeful who works as director of public affairs for Tutelian & Company.

The approvals can be appealed by the city council or the mayor and would spark a public hearing, according to a statement from the city manager’s office. Appeals need to be received in writing by Sept. 23.

District 1

• Fresno Canna Co. Dispensary at 3257 W. Shaw Ave., No. 109
• 1264 Wishon OPCO LLC at 1264 N. Wishon Blvd.
• The Artist Tree at 1426 N. Van Ness Ave.

District 2

• Traditional Fresno ME LLC at 6926 N. Weber Ave.
• 7315 Blackstone OPCO at 7315 N. Blackstone Ave.
• The Artist Tree at 7835 N. Palm Ave., Suite 102

District 3

• Viola Fresno at 755 Van Ness Ave.
• Haven #20 LLC at 335 W. Olive Ave.
• Public Cannabis (Fresno Verde Public Inc.) at 1220 E. Olive Ave.

District 4

• 5048 Blackstone OPCO at 5048 N. Blackstone Ave.
• Infinity Assets Fresno at 618 E. Shaw Ave.
• Higher Level of Care at 4795 N. Blackstone Ave.

District 5

• Culture Cannabis Club at 2590 S. Maple Ave., Ste 103-104.
• Fresno Farms at 3849 E. Ventura St.
• Element 7 Fresno LLC at 4846 E. Kings Canyon Rd.

District 6

• Roeding Leaf Inc. at 207 E. Sierra Ave.
• Authentic Fresno at 6929 N. Willow Ave., Ste 103-104
• Culture Cannabis Club at 314 E. Bullard Ave.

District 7

• Haven #1 LLC at 1704 E. Belmont Ave.
• Embarc Fresno at 4592 N. Blackstone Ave., Suite 103
• Sweet Flower Fresno at 3150 E. Olive Ave.

This story was originally published September 9, 2021 at 2:55 PM with the headline "Fresno finally approves its weed dispensary licenses. Here are the 21 locations."