ENGLISHTOWN, NJ — A new cannabis dispensary has come to Monmouth County.
RUUTED Dispensary, based in Englishtown, officially opened its doors on Aug. 19.
Aric Ifergan, the founder and CEO of RUUTED, said his background in advertising and brand-building led him to the idea of opening the dispensary.
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When it comes to the mission of RUUTED, Ifergan said he wants the dispensary to be more than just a store.
“New Jersey became one of the states that legalized marijuana, I was like ‘How cool would it be to have your own cannabis store?’” Ifergan said. “I started talking to good friends, people I know, and we decided to put our heads together and build a team. We wanted to build something that has a deeper meaning than just a cannabis dispensary.”
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At RUUTED, the dispensary offers products ranging from edibles to lotions to cannabis-infused chocolate. Customers can choose from a variety of flavors, and can even buy accessories like ashtrays and grinders.
According to Ifergan, offering unique products is part of what makes RUUTED different from other dispensaries in the state.
“I don’t want to turn into a dispensary that just sells vapes all the time,” Ifergan said. “I want to focus on educating people, and having the space almost act as a hub where people can come, ask questions, and get the support they need.”
While Ifergan himself is from the North Jersey area, he said that RUUTED chose to open in Englishtown for a few reasons.
For one, Ifergan said he wanted to open somewhere that didn’t have too many dispensaries. Second, Ifergan said RUUTED is aiming to target a bit of a different consumer demographic than other cannabis shops.
“We want to serve more elderly people or older groups,” Ifergan said. “A lot of people serve younger kids, but we want to focus more on customer service and education about cannabis for people that maybe smoked in the 1970s and 80s but stopped because it was illegal.”
Now that cannabis has been legalized in New Jersey, Ifergan said he wants to help older consumers learn what kinds of products they like and help them see what cannabis can do for them.
“The market has changed a lot, as well as the possible consumption methods and products,” Ifergan said. “We really wanted to cater to people that don’t know as much about it [cannabis] anymore.”
As part of that catering, Ifergan said RUUTED has focused on offering cannabis products that provide alternatives to smoking and contain health benefits. Edibles, products low in THC, and lotions that help relieve minor aches and pains are just a few examples.
“Some people in older age groups are a little cautious about inhaling smoke,” Ifergan said. “It burns them, it makes them cough. So we focus on good-quality edibles, products we tailor for people who have problems falling asleep or staying asleep — we want to focus on people who don’t want to smoke as well as those who do.”
More than anything, Ifergan said he wants RUUTED to be a space for community and cannabis education.
“The dispensary’s space is open, it’s inviting — so it’s really more of an intimate experience we want to provide,” Ifergan said. “Some people ask us questions and we’re patient people, we always answer. All these elements of the dispensary – the convenience, support, education – that’s really what I want to start building here.”
To learn more about RUUTED, you can visit their website.
RUUTEd Dispensary is located at 14 Main Street, Englishtown.
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