A New Green Space: Can Cannabis Save Retail?

By PATRICK LAVERY In a Hunterdon County, New Jersey, strip mall long characterized by higher-end retailers like Ulta Beauty and Talbots, one trio of newer storefronts may seem incongruous. Start at Axeiom, a women and LGBTQ+-focused axe throwing space, then walk a few steps to Aunt Mary’s, a cannabis dispensary opening first for medical cardholders and eventually for adult-use, and then buy a burrito at Pancheros Mexican Grill. Sounds like an amusing night, right? But this potential scenario may hinge on the future of an industry that has caught the imagination of those who rent retail space and investors interested in making a buck from marijuana. A 3% dropoff compared to the rest of 2022 in Q4 rents collected by…