Premo is opening its second New Jersey dispensary after two years in Keyport. The expansion will test whether a family-run retailer can grow into a new market without losing the personal approach that distinguished its first store.
Premo is expanding beyond its original Keyport dispensary with a second location serving Dover and the surrounding Morris County area. The new store, located at 330 S. Salem St. in Victory Gardens, comes after two years of operating as an independent, Black-owned and family-owned cannabis retailer.
For CEO Darrin Chandler Jr., the opening raises a question that confronts many independent cannabis businesses once they begin to grow: can the model travel without losing the personal character that made the original work?
“Dover felt like the right fit because we saw an opportunity to bring something different to the market,” Chandler said. “We built Premo around culture, hospitality, education and community, and we believed this area was ready for that experience.”
Why Morris County
Although the dispensary is technically located in Victory Gardens, Premo is positioning it as a store for the broader Dover and Morris County market, including nearby Randolph and surrounding towns.
Cannabis retailers often promise to become part of the communities they enter. Premo says it intends to build on the local programming it developed in Keyport rather than treat the new location as a storefront disconnected from its surroundings.
“We want to become a true community partner by creating jobs, supporting local organizations, participating in community events and being a business the entire region is proud to have,” Chandler said. “We didn’t come here just to open a dispensary. We came here to become part of the community.”
In Keyport, the company has organized Thanksgiving turkey drives, clothing drives, school-supply donations and support for local organizations. Chandler said the Dover-area store will pursue similar work while first listening to what residents and organizations in the new market actually need.
“Premo was founded by people whose lives were directly impacted by the War on Drugs, so giving back isn’t a marketing strategy. It’s part of who we are,” he said. “Our goal is to be remembered for more than cannabis.”
What Keyport Taught Them
Premo opened its flagship dispensary in Keyport in 2024. The business is led by two father-son teams: Darrin Chandler Jr. and Sr., and Skye and Donald Blanks. That ownership structure has shaped how the company approaches hiring, customer service and expansion.
“Building Premo with family has been one of the greatest blessings of our lives,” Chandler said. “Family is at the center of everything we do, and that culture extends beyond ownership. We want every employee to feel valued, supported and empowered to grow.”
The first store also gave the team time to learn what brings customers back once the novelty of legal retail wears off. New Jersey’s cannabis market has become increasingly competitive, leaving independent operators to compete with larger companies on price, selection, service and convenience.
“The biggest lesson is that great retail isn’t just about selling cannabis. It’s about creating an experience people want to come back to,” Chandler said. “Over the past two years, we’ve refined everything from customer service and menu curation to operations and community engagement.”
The Independent Advantage
Premo’s founders came to cannabis retail from music, real estate, fitness and the legacy market. Chandler said those backgrounds influence how the company thinks about location, discipline, culture and the customer experience.
“Music taught us how to build culture. Real estate taught us how important location and community are. Fitness taught us discipline and consistency. The legacy cannabis market taught us to respect the plant and the people who built this industry before legalization,” he said.
Independent and minority-owned retailers still compete against operators with more capital, larger teams and greater purchasing power. Chandler argues that a smaller structure can also offer an advantage: fewer layers between customers and the people making decisions.
“Independent operators have one major advantage: we can move quickly,” he said. “We can listen to our customers, adapt faster and make decisions without layers of corporate bureaucracy.”
Premium Without the Velvet Rope
Premo describes its stores as premium, but Chandler said the company does not want that word to become shorthand for expensive, exclusive or intimidating. The aim is to serve experienced consumers without making first-time customers feel that they need specialist knowledge to ask a question or buy an eighth.
“Whether someone is an experienced consumer or walking into a dispensary for the first time, they deserve the same level of service and respect,” Chandler said. “That’s why we’ve built a menu that offers products at every price point while never compromising the customer experience.”
The company is marking the opening with discounted products and a series of events throughout July. Grand-opening programming is scheduled for July 17 through July 19, including food, music and vendor activations.
Promotions may bring customers through the door. The larger test is whether the experience gives them a reason to return after the opening signs come down.
Asked what he wants customers to feel during their first few minutes inside Premo Dover, Chandler did not reach for a conventional retail metric.
“Love,” he said. “That’s the easiest way to describe it. We genuinely appreciate every customer who chooses to shop with us because without them there is no Premo. We want people to feel welcomed, comfortable and excited to be here.”
The Risk of Growing
The Dover-area store gives Premo a second market and a larger regional footprint. It also gives the company another outlet for in-house products and exclusive releases, which Chandler sees as an increasingly important part of its long-term strategy.
“Our in-house brands allow us to offer products that customers can only find at Premo,” he said. “They also give us greater control over quality, consistency and value. As we continue to grow, our exclusive products will become an even bigger part of what makes Premo unique.”
Chandler is not describing the second store as a one-off. The company ultimately wants to build a vertically integrated operation with retail locations, proprietary products and long-term operating partnerships.
“Dover is another milestone in a much larger vision,” he said. “From the beginning, our goal wasn’t simply to own dispensaries. We’re building a vertically integrated cannabis company with strong retail operations, proprietary brands and long-term partnerships.”
That ambition creates the central tension behind the expansion. Premo’s appeal is partly built on being independent, local and close to its customers. Growth can strengthen those qualities, but it can also dilute them. The new store will show whether the company’s family-first identity can survive outside the market where it was established.
If Keyport was the proof of concept, Morris County is the test.
Photos courtesy of Premo Cannabis.
