Rochester was one of the last big markets in New York to get legal cannabis stores. A federal lawsuit froze conditional licensing in the Finger Lakes region for months in 2023, so while New York City and Binghamton were already selling, Monroe County waited. The wait ended in December 2023, when MJ Dispensary opened on Jefferson Road in Henrietta at, fittingly, 4:20 p.m., as Monroe County's first licensed recreational dispensary and, according to WHEC, the first in the Finger Lakes region.
Licensed after a lawsuit
Owners Ryan Martin and Maila Lowery spent roughly two years waiting to open. WHEC reported that the Office of Cannabis Management granted MJ Dispensary its license in June 2023, after the state settled a federal lawsuit by a Michigan company that had blocked Finger Lakes CAURD licenses. State records list the Henrietta store as OCM-CAURD-23-000024, with sales beginning on December 11, 2023. Martin told reporters during the delay, "It does take time. We are trying to stay patient with this."
The shop's Leafly profile sums up its own story as "Legacy to Legal," a nod to the owners' roots, and describes the business as Asian- and woman-owned. The site calls it "locally owned & operated."
The Jefferson Road original
The first store is at 900 Jefferson Road, Suite 902, on the busy Jefferson Road retail corridor in Henrietta, just south of the city. The same road runs past the RIT campus, so the store is convenient for students and staff, and its suburban setting means easier parking than most city storefronts. OCM's filing lists hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The shop's site says hours vary by store, so check the location page before you go.
One Leafly reviewer described the space as warehouse-like. Others praised it as clean and well organized.
Five stores and counting
MJ Dispensary has expanded quickly since that first winter. Its website now lists five locations:
- Henrietta: 900 Jefferson Rd, Suite 902 (the original)
- Spencerport: 377 S. Union St., Suite 5, serving the western suburbs
- Honeoye Falls: 201 W. Main St., in the village south of the city
- Geneseo: 4245 Lakeville Rd, near SUNY Geneseo in Livingston County
- Park Ave, Rochester: 649 Park Ave, the company's first store inside city limits, which opened in summer 2026
Several of the newer stores operate under standard adult-use retail licenses held by separate entities that appear in OCM records under the MJ Dispensary name. For shoppers, the practical result is one brand, one loyalty program, and one website. The site lists general hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with Park Avenue open later (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday hours that vary by location.
Each store fits a different kind of shopper:
- Henrietta is the choice for south-side suburbs, RIT, and anyone who wants delivery from the original location.
- Spencerport (opened November 2025, per OCM) serves Ogden, Gates, Parma, and Greece shoppers who would otherwise drive across the county, and it also delivers.
- Honeoye Falls (February 2026) covers southern Monroe County and the Ontario County line.
- Geneseo (April 2026) reaches Livingston County and the SUNY Geneseo area, where students 21 and older now have a closer option.
- Park Avenue (July 2026) puts MJ inside the city, in a walkable neighborhood of restaurants and older homes east of downtown, so city residents no longer have to drive to Henrietta.
The Finger Lakes delay is the reason MJ could claim to be first even though it opened a full year after New York's first legal sale. The lawsuit came from a Michigan-owned applicant that challenged how the CAURD program prioritized people with New York cannabis convictions. The resulting injunction stopped Finger Lakes licensing in its tracks, while other regions moved forward. Once the case was resolved in 2023, Finger Lakes approvals began moving again. MJ received its license that June and opened in December, after keeping its Jefferson Road plans in place through the delay.
Delivery and rewards
Delivery is available from the Henrietta and Spencerport stores, according to the website, which covers much of the southern and western suburbs. Ordering is online for pickup or delivery. MJ runs a VIP loyalty program, and Leafly lists cash, debit, and credit as accepted payment along with veteran discounts. The payment options available can depend on the processor, so confirm at checkout. For current promotions across Rochester stores, see High Today's deals page.
Praise, prices, and the no-returns rule
Reviews of the Henrietta store commonly mention clean presentation, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and product quality that customers compare favorably with what they used to buy illegally. The main complaints are about price, with one reviewer mentioning cartridges above $60, and a no-returns policy. Those are common issues across New York's taxed market rather than problems specific to MJ. If price is your main concern, our guide on how to save at New York dispensaries explains how loyalty points and drop days add up.
Product availability can differ between stores, so check the specific location's online menu before you drive, and ask staff how VIP points work across locations. Geneseo shoppers should remember that a college ID does not prove age; only a valid government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older works at the counter.
Community record
During its first year, MJ Dispensary raised $6,000 for Rochester's School No. 12, the owners matched it to make a $12,000 donation, and they received a 2024 State Senate Empire Award, WHEC reported. Martin told the station the business had "been such a blessing" that giving back felt necessary.
How it compares around Rochester
The Rochester market has grown a great deal since December 2023. Mango Cannabis on West Henrietta Road is a nearby alternative for southern-suburb shoppers, and Happy Goat Dispensary, a CAURD store on Mount Hope Avenue, is close to the University of Rochester. MJ Dispensary's advantages are its five locations, its delivery service, and its history as the first shop in the county. For perspective on that head start, OCM records show both Mango Cannabis and Happy Goat opening in April 2025, about 16 months after MJ's first sale. By then, MJ had already built the customer base, community ties, and cash flow that paid for its later expansion. Our guide to the best dispensaries in Rochester, NY places it among the rest, and our dispensary directory lists every location.
For first-time shoppers, a quick read of indica vs. sativa vs. hybrid: what the labels actually mean will make the menu easier to understand.