A special needs educator and Ossining-based mom, Beth Smith doesn’t generally fit the archetype of a cannabis trader. But in 2023, her online store became one of only a handful of women-owned licensed dispensaries in New York state. Her company, Purple Owl Dispensary, offers cannabis products ranging from flowers and vapes to edibles and tinctures that are said to be sourced from high-quality, state-approved growers for legal, recreational, adult use. Purple Owl delivers these, quickly and discreetly, to clients’ front doors throughout Westchester County and other parts of the Lower Hudson Valley.
Besides Purple Owl’s white glove service, its first retail dispensary, at 405 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains, is slated for an August launch. The new brick-and-mortar retail outlet will also carry a line of pet-friendly cannabis products and host educational events to inform pet parents about the calming and pain-relieving benefits of cannabis for canine and feline anxiety and cancer.
A serial entrepreneur – as well as a “cereal” one – with her business partner (and Purple Owl co-owner) Juan Alverio, Smith previously owned a kettle corn business, which had outlets at Manhattan’s South Street Seaport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Both Smith and Alverio recognized the unique business opportunity that legalized recreational cannabis offered and worked for two years to secure a highly competitive license.
“We are excited that the times – and laws – have changed,” said Smith, who is known as “Mrs. Smith.” “Cannabis is enjoying a resurgence among boomers and Gen Xers, who are more health conscious, hangover avoidant and simply feeling liberated to revisit cannabis recreationally, now that it’s legal. We are looking forward to safely serving the community’s new and returning users who have taken a long hiatus until now.”
Adults over 21 will be able to visit the new store, and Mrs. Smith is happy to field any and all questions about Purple Owl products and services. Her vision for the Purple Owl, she said, is to use it as a platform to “educate, demystify and destigmatize” cannabis for clientele.
The old joke – “I told my doctor I had problems with my joints. He told me to roll them tighter.” – may be more timely than ever.
For more, visit thepurpleowldispensary.com.
