The name does the marketing work on its own: "baked" is old slang, and The Bakery wears it with a 518 area code in its web address. Behind the pun is a story that is typical of New York's first social-equity licensees. Owner Michael Gardner spent more than two years working through state and local requirements before the shop at 1099 Loudon Road in Cohoes held its ribbon cutting on July 16, 2024, according to his law firm, Davidoff Hutcher & Citron. Albany.com describes it as the first legal dispensary to open in Cohoes.
A CAURD license and a two-year build
The license number posted on The Bakery's website is OCM-CAURD-24-000092, which identifies it as a CAURD shop. CAURD licenses were the state's first adult-use retail round and were reserved for applicants with past cannabis-related convictions, or close relatives of such people, along with some nonprofits.
Getting from license to open door was slow for many CAURD holders, and The Bakery was no exception. Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, whose cannabis practice is led by Steve Malito with senior counsel Nick Terzulli, said it handled filings, local-law compliance and state regulatory work over a process that took more than two years. Gardner, in the firm's announcement, said simply that he was thrilled to finally be in business.
The delay was not unusual. CAURD holders statewide struggled to find landlords willing to rent to a cannabis business, needed local zoning sign-offs, and in 2023 saw a court injunction temporarily freeze many new CAURD openings while a lawsuit over the program played out. A license issued in one year often meant a ribbon cutting a year or more later, and The Bakery's 2024 opening fits that pattern.
Where it fits north of Albany
The Bakery's Cohoes address on Loudon Road puts it in the northern Albany County suburbs, a short drive from Latham, Watervliet and Troy. The shop's own service-area list makes its reach clear: Cohoes, Albany, Troy, Latham, Colonie, Schenectady and Clifton Park. For residents of Cohoes itself, a small city at the meeting of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers, it ended the need to cross into Albany or Troy for a licensed purchase.
Cohoes is better known for the Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk and for the restored Harmony Mills complex, a reminder of its history as a textile city, than for retail. The Bakery's customers therefore tend to come from the surrounding suburbs as much as from the city itself, and shoppers from Waterford and Halfmoon across the Mohawk can reach it in a short drive. That spread-out customer base helps explain why the shop invested in delivery and curbside service rather than relying on walk-in traffic.
What's on the shelves
According to the shop's website, The Bakery stocks flower, pre-rolls, live rosin concentrates, vape cartridges, edibles, tinctures, topicals and CBD products. Brands named on the site include:
- Umamii
- Silly Nice
- NY Dankster
- Oasis Cannabis
- Aeterna
- Ayrloom gummies
The live rosin listing is worth noting for solventless fans, since many smaller shops carry little or none; our explainer on what live rosin is and how it's made covers why it costs more than standard concentrates, and our feature on New York's best hash and rosin puts the category in context.
Public feedback summarized by Albany.com singles out the pre-roll selection along with friendly staff and fair pricing. If pre-rolls are your format, see our guide to New York's best pre-rolls and infused joints before you go. On Leafly, the shop showed a perfect 5.0 average in October 2026, though from only a handful of ratings.
When ordering online, the live menu reflects current stock, so it is the best way to check whether a particular rosin or pre-roll is available before you make the trip. First-time customers should ask about the introductory promotion the site mentions, since those offers are usually applied at checkout rather than automatically.
Four ways to buy
The Bakery is one of the more flexible shops in the area when it comes to getting product into your hands:
- In-store shopping with budtender help
- Online ordering, which Albany.com notes runs through Dutchie
- Curbside pickup
- Local delivery across its listed service area
That combination makes it a practical option for people in Clifton Park or Schenectady who may not want to drive in. Check the ordering page for current delivery minimums and windows.
A few delivery basics apply across New York: someone 21 or older has to be present to receive the order and show valid ID at the door, and drivers will not leave cannabis unattended. If you are ordering to an office or a shared house, plan accordingly.
Contact and schedule
- Address: 1099 Loudon Road, Cohoes, NY 12047
- Phone: 518-213-7714
- Hours: the shop lists an 11 a.m. opening every day, closing at 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday
- Deals: the site advertises a rewards program, first-time customer promotions and rotating specials, and Capital Region offers also turn up on High Today's deal tracker
Note the later 11 a.m. opening compared with some Capital Region shops that open at 9, and the short Sunday.
The reputation: low-key and approachable
Albany.com's summary of the shop emphasizes relaxed, unhurried service and knowledgeable budtenders, and says the setting suits both newcomers and experienced buyers. That tone matches the brand: a playful name, a short list of New York brands, and a focus on helping people pick something rather than pushing volume. Newer buyers who are considering gummies should read our edibles dosing primer first, since edibles take longer to kick in than smoked products.
Nearby alternatives
- Leafy Peaks Cannabis Dispensary is another licensed shop listed in Cohoes on Leafly, with late hours.
- State of Mind is a few miles away and lists deals on its Leafly page.
- 400 River, across the Hudson in Troy, is worth the trip if you want flower straight from a small farm.
The Bakery's edge is the delivery-plus-curbside flexibility and its CAURD backstory; the others may suit you better on hours or specialty. Compare menus through High Today's map of licensed dispensaries or our Albany and Capital Region shortlist.
Who should put The Bakery on their list
The Bakery is a good pick for Cohoes, Latham and Colonie residents, anyone in the northern suburbs who wants delivery, rosin and pre-roll shoppers, and people who want to support a social-equity licensee who stuck out a long opening process. Its later morning opening and short Sunday hours are the main limitations; if you need an early pickup, another Capital Region shop may fit your schedule better.