By Cary Shuman
Residents attended an Aug. 8 public meeting, the first step in the application process for Jack Kelly who is proposing to open a cannabis shop at 31 Cambridge St., Charlestown.
Patrick Sweeney, the attorney representing Jack Kelly in the matter, said in his opening remarks that the process for the original proposal began in December, 2019, and the matter had traveled through the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Boston Cannabis Board, and the state Cannabis Control Commission.
“There was a bit of a falling out between the people involved. Other people dropped out, and Jack has picked it up and continues to go forward,” said Sweeney.
Sweeney said the hours of operation for the store would be Sunday through Tuesday (10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.), and Wednesday through Saturday (10 a.m. to 11 p.m.).
Following Sweeney’s well-articulated presentation, residents expressed strong support for Kelly’s bid to open the cannabis store. One resident commended Kelly’s perseverance through what has been a five-year journey to open the store.
“I think the location is going to be fantastic and the store is going to be a tremendous asset,” said a resident. “I’m excited and I support it 100 percent.”
Another attendee at the meeting said he had talked with numerous residents, and they were unanimous in their support of the store and happy that it would be a locally owned business.
Kelly said a percentage of all revenues from the store would go toward mental health and addiction programs.
In an interview this week, Kelly said the name of the new store would be Charlestown Cannabis. He has a 10-year lease for the business that he calls “a boutique store.”
Jack Kelly, 43, is a fourth-generation Charlestown resident of Charlestown. He is the father of a 16-year-old daughter, Amelia. Jack is the son of Johnny Kelly and Betty Kelly, who attended the Aug. 8 meeting. His grandmother, Betty Kelly, resides in Charlestown. He is named after his late grandfather, John Francis Kelly Sr., a United States war veteran.
Kelly is a 1999 graduate of Matignon High School where he was the captain in the school’s powerful ice hockey program. He holds a degree in political science from UMass Boston and was a candidate for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council in 2013.
Asked about the outpouring of support for his dream to open his own business in Charlestown, Kelly said, “I’m grateful for the support of the community. It was touching to be from this community and get that type of reception at the meeting. It showed the good spirit of Charlestown, and it feels good.”
Kelly is hopeful that if the approval process proceeds smoothly, the store could open early in 2025.