Few New York dispensaries can claim a more storied address than Dazed. The shop sits at 33 Union Square West, inside the Decker Building, a designated New York City landmark where Andy Warhol ran his Factory studio from 1968 to 1973. It also holds one of the lowest-numbered retail licenses in the state: OCM-CAURD-23-000008, a Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license issued in April 2023. When Dazed began sales on April 19, 2023, CBS New York reported it as the fifth licensed dispensary in New York City and the eighth in the state.
That early start matters for understanding the shop. Dazed was not a late arrival riding a crowded market; it was part of the first small wave of justice-involved operators the state put on the map.
A CAURD pioneer with an East Harlem founder
The CAURD program reserved the first adult-use retail licenses for people with past cannabis convictions (or their family members) who also had business experience. According to a social-equity profile published by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), Dazed co-founder Keshawn Warner is an East Harlem native who was previously criminalized under prohibition, has owned and operated two other New York businesses, and worked as an IT specialist in healthcare. DASNY describes Dazed as Black- and veteran-owned, and the Union Square location was supported through the state's Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund, which helped lease and build out storefronts for early licensees. That fund arrangement is why several of the first CAURD shops, Dazed included, landed in high-visibility Manhattan retail spaces that a brand-new small business would rarely be able to secure on its own.
News 12 covered the opening the day before 4/20 in 2023 and noted that Warner's father rang up the store's first legal sale. New York's licensing data lists Florisun LLC as the license holder and Warner as the primary contact. The state's dataset also records November 9, 2023 as the date the 33 Union Square West storefront opened to the public, which lines up with coverage of a later "new era" opening for the location that fall. If you remember Dazed from spring 2023 and again from late 2023, that is likely why.
Inside a landmark: the Decker Building
The Decker Building is one of the more recognizable facades on the west side of Union Square, and it carries real art-world history. Warhol moved the Factory to the building's sixth floor in 1968, renting the full floor including a small balcony over the square. DASNY's profile says the dispensary's storefront was designed around the founder's interests in cannabis culture, music, art and fashion, which fits the address.
Public reviews on Leafly are few in number but consistent in tone: reviewers mention music playing in the store, helpful budtenders and prices they considered fair by Manhattan standards. With only a handful of reviews on that platform, treat those as early signals rather than a verdict.
From one storefront to a multi-state brand
What started as a single CAURD shop is now a small chain. As of October 2026, Dazed's website lists:
- Union Square, Manhattan: 33 Union Square West
- Loudonville (Albany area): 399 Albany Shaker Road, which state records show opened in April 2026 under a separate CAURD license
- Syracuse: 135 Marshall Street
- Brooklyn (Flatbush): 1584 Flatbush Avenue, which state data still showed as non-operational in October 2026
- Massachusetts: Holyoke (56 Jackson Street) and Monson (399 Boston Road West)
- A Little Italy location on Mulberry Street marked "coming soon"
That footprint is part of what the "brand-forward" label means: Dazed is now a recognizable retail name across two states rather than a one-off boutique. If you are headed upstate, our guide to dispensaries in Albany and the Capital Region covers the Loudonville store's neighbors.
Hours, ordering and the VIP program
Late hours are one of Dazed's practical selling points. The chain's website lists the Union Square store as open 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, while the state's licensing record lists 8 a.m. to midnight. Since those two sources disagree, call the store or check the live menu before planning a late-night stop.
According to the Dazed site:
- Categories: flower, pre-rolls, vaporizers, edibles, concentrates, topicals, tinctures, CBD, accessories and Dazed merchandise
- Ordering: online orders are placed for in-store pickup
- Loyalty: a "VIP Program" offers member deals and exclusive offers
- Sales: adult-use only; a valid ID showing you are 21 or older is required
Dazed doesn't post a standing list of brands on its homepage, and we couldn't confirm specific labels from a live menu, so this guide names none. Inventory at a store this busy changes quickly; the online menu is the reliable place to check what is on the shelf. Before a first trip, our explainer on how much cannabis you can legally buy and carry in New York is worth a skim.
Union Square's dispensary cluster
Union Square has become one of Manhattan's densest legal cannabis corridors, which makes comparison shopping easy. State records show several active licensed shops within a short walk:
- Housing Works Cannabis Co. at 750 Broadway, which opened on December 29, 2022 as New York's first adult-use dispensary and is run by a nonprofit.
- Union Square Travel Agency at 835 Broadway (at East 13th Street), which opened in February 2023 under the second CAURD license issued in the state.
- The Flowery at 101 East 10th Street, a newer arrival from July 2025.
Compared with those neighbors, Dazed's distinguishing traits are its landmark building, its founder story and its long posted hours. Housing Works leans on its nonprofit mission; the Travel Agency was built out as a roughly 5,000-square-foot space. Many shoppers will simply visit whichever is closest to their train. Because four licensed stores sit within roughly a ten-minute walk of each other, it's also easy to check two menus on the same trip before deciding where to spend. The 14 St–Union Square station (4/5/6, L and N/Q/R/W) is steps from all of them. For a wider view, see our roundup of the best dispensaries in Manhattan right now or browse every licensed Manhattan shop on High Today.
Who Dazed suits best
Dazed makes the most sense for:
- Downtown commuters and NYU-area residents who pass through Union Square and want a licensed option with early-morning and late-evening hours.
- Visitors interested in cannabis-equity history. Buying from one of the first CAURD shops supports the program's original intent.
- Shoppers who like a brand experience. With merchandise, a loyalty program and stores in several cities, Dazed operates more like a retail brand than a corner shop.
It may suit you less if you want a quiet, appointment-style consultation; a store on one of Manhattan's busiest squares is unlikely to offer that. Price-sensitive shoppers should compare against the neighbors listed above and check current deals first.