Look across Flatbush Avenue from the restored Kings Theatre and you will find BK Exotic, also branded Brooklyn Exotic, at 1056 Flatbush Avenue. Brooklyn Magazine called it "Flatbush's first legal dispensary" in April 2025, and Brooklyn Paper reported that it was the borough's first legal woman-owned cannabis business. Its license, OCM-CAURD-24-000048, is held by BK Exotic Outlet, LLC.
Across from the Kings Theatre
The shop is run by husband and wife Robert Dorsey and Angeline Cornelia. According to Brooklyn Paper, Dorsey first opened Brooklyn Exotic on Flatbush after his release from incarceration on cannabis-related offenses. The shop's About page says it exists in part to support people like Robert who have been affected by cannabis convictions, through jobs and social-equity work.
The setting matters to the brand. Brooklyn Paper reported that the storefront was formerly a T-Mobile store, now rebuilt with an open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows facing one of Flatbush's best-known landmarks. The B41 bus runs right along Flatbush Avenue, and theater crowds make this one of the busier blocks in the neighborhood on show nights.
A license fight and a January reopening
BK Exotic's path ran straight through the most chaotic stretch of New York's rollout. In fall 2023, a judge temporarily blocked new CAURD licenses, freezing many applicants mid-buildout. Brooklyn Paper reported that cannabis attorney Michael James Jr., who co-runs Good Grades in Jamaica, Queens, stepped in to help the couple secure their retail license. The shop reopened as a legal dispensary on January 25, 2024, initially in partnership with Good Grades, whose team was reported to be co-managing the store.
That arrangement is part of a pattern from early CAURD days, when established licensees mentored newer ones. It also explains the early menu, which leaned on New York brands Good Grades already worked with.
Murals, music wall and Brooklyn pride
Design is where BK Exotic most clearly expresses its identity. Brooklyn Paper described a "concrete jungle" concept, with a full wall of Brooklyn murals by artist Shaun Lee and a music wall honoring Brooklyn musicians. Brooklyn Magazine noted green faux vines and murals of Biggie and other local legends. For shoppers who want a dispensary that looks and feels like the borough rather than a neutral retail chain, that is the draw.
The owners extend the cultural angle beyond the walls with an Exotic Eats series that pairs cannabis culture with food, according to the shop's website. Follow its Instagram (@bkexoticnyc) for dates, since the website doesn't keep a calendar.
What the menu leans toward
Brooklyn Magazine said the menu focuses on flower and edibles, with a decent selection of vapes and some concentrates, and named To the Moon and Splash among the brands. Coverage of the 2024 relaunch listed a broader roster, including Packwoods, Rove, Ayrloom, Flamer, Heady Tree, Rolling Green, Electraleaf and Sheba Baby, and flower strains like Gary Payton, Gelato, Biscotti and Garlic Knots. Menus turn over, so treat those names as a historical snapshot and check the shop's online store for current stock. If Gelato catches your eye, our Gelato strain profile covers its lineage, and terpenes 101 explains what to look for on flower labels.
Brooklyn Magazine also reported that BK Exotic offers delivery; the shop's own site does not spell out zones or minimums, so call (718) 362-2190 to ask.
Hours that keep it a daytime shop
Compared with Manhattan's late-night stores, BK Exotic keeps modest hours. Its website lists 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday at the time of writing (October 2026). If you are heading to an evening show across the street, plan to shop beforehand.
Context worth knowing
Why the murals are inside
BK Exotic's Biggie imagery sits indoors, and there is a regulatory reason that matters. New York's cannabis advertising rules sharply limit what licensed retailers can display on their exteriors. In early 2024, High Times reported that another Brooklyn shop, The Emerald Dispensary in Bushwick, had to cover an exterior Notorious B.I.G. mural painted on its building before it could pass inspection, because state compliance officers warned it could violate those rules. Keeping the cultural storytelling inside the store lets BK Exotic express its Brooklyn identity without running into the signage restrictions that tripped up its neighbor.
Planning around the Kings Theatre
The Kings Theatre across the street is one of Brooklyn's largest venues, a 1929 movie palace that reopened in 2015 after a major restoration and now hosts concerts, comedy and touring shows. On event nights, Flatbush Avenue fills with foot traffic, and BK Exotic's 9 p.m. closing on Monday through Saturday (7 p.m. on Sunday) means the window to shop is before the show rather than after. Cannabis consumption isn't permitted inside the venue, so buying before a performance means holding onto sealed product until you get home.
The Good Grades connection
The partnership with Good Grades is a meaningful part of the shop's backstory. Brooklyn Paper described Good Grades as Queens' first Black- and woman-owned cannabis dispensary, and its co-founder's legal background helped BK Exotic get through licensing when many CAURD applicants were stuck. Reports at the relaunch said the Good Grades team, including Michael James and Kevin Fernelis, would continue co-managing the Flatbush store alongside the owners. Hours have shifted slightly since then: the 2024 reopening coverage listed a 6 p.m. Sunday close, and the website now shows 7 p.m. BK Exotic also posts videos on YouTube and TikTok under the BKExoticNYC handle, which is the quickest way to see new arrivals.
For newer customers, the shop's mission statement emphasizes responsible use and education, and Brooklyn Paper reported at the reopening that staff aim to help shoppers make informed purchases. That makes the counter a reasonable place to ask about dosing before buying edibles.
Like every licensed retailer in the state, BK Exotic sells only products that have passed testing at state-approved labs, and its packaging must carry potency and test-date information. Shoppers who previously bought on Flatbush's unlicensed market will notice the difference in labeling first.
Comparing Flatbush options
The nearest licensed alternative with a similar equity story is Brooklyn Bourne at 2225 Church Avenue, a few blocks north near the Flatbush–Church intersection. Both are Black-owned CAURD shops with founders shaped by cannabis enforcement. Brooklyn Bourne opens earlier and closes later most days and markets a more polished, upscale feel, while BK Exotic's personality is all Brooklyn street culture, murals and music. Flatbush shoppers can find more choices in the best of Brooklyn's licensed shops and our directory of dispensaries.
BK Exotic is best for Flatbush locals, Kings Theatre visitors with time before a show, and anyone who wants their purchase to support a justice-involved, family-run business. Visit brooklynexotic.com for the menu and contact details.