Stonedhouse owner excited to join Lewiston community

Licensed recreational cannabis dispensary now open on Center Street

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Lewiston’s Stone House may be gone, but its Stonedhouse is just getting going.

The licensed recreational cannabis dispensary opened Feb. 25 and will celebrate a grand-opening March 20 – right behind the former Stone House bar, at 755 Center St., Suite 7.

Customers are learning that, even more than the edibles, topicals/tinctures and concentrates available at the Stonedhouse, co-owner Angela Pozantides wants them to leave with an education.

“I do really want to lean into education,” she said Friday. “I did hire someone who is a cannabis educator, and she will be our outreach coordinator. She will be putting together events for the public where you can attend and you can learn about the different products, and really get to know about what exactly goes into cultivating cannabis; what it looks like when it's processed and distributed to dispensaries; and what to look for based on everybody has their individual needs and desires and their preferences, and there's something for everyone.”

Pozantides is a micro-business licenseholder, “which means that I am licensed through New York state to grow and sell legal, licensed cannabis,” she said. “They allotted me a certain amount of square-footage, which is being built out. It's going to be in Lockport. Eventually we will be a shop where you can come in and buy some Stonedhouse flower, or Stonedhouse pre-rolls. We'll have products that are exclusive to us. But right now, we are collaborating with licensed brands in New York state that have cultivated and grown in New York state.”

She said, “Every brand and product that we carry needs to be tracked and compliant with New York state. That is the biggest thing that separates us from other places. Every single product that you purchase, you can be assured, has been tested, and you have access to the lab results to every product.”

The educational component stretches beyond basic cannabis comprehension – which is ideal, as customers might feel overwhelmed when seeing the Stonedhouse’s myriad retail offerings.

When they walk in, “Obviously, the first question is, ‘What are you in for? What are you looking for?’ ” Pozantides said. “Based on their answer, whether they say that they like to smoke, ‘OK, well, come look over here. We have flower, and we have pre-rolls, or concentrate oil, if you prefer going that route.’ Say, if somebody doesn't like to smoke, maybe it's too harsh on their lungs and they want to take an edible. ‘OK, great. We have a ton of options for edibles.’ We have gummies, we have chocolate, we have drinks. There's so many new things that are coming out.”

Next, “ ‘Do you have an idea of what you're looking for?’ Pozantides said. “ ‘I am having trouble sleeping.’ ‘OK. Do you like to smoke? Or do you prefer to take an edible?’ ‘I prefer edibles.’ ‘OK, come over here. I'll show you the edibles that we have. You probably are looking for something that is more indica-leaning.’

“There's sativa, hybrid and indica. It's way-more in-depth than just those three things, but that's how everything is kind of labeled, based on sativa, hybrid or indica.”

Stonedhouse staff will explain the difference in these strains and what consumers can expect, be it an energy boost or a more-relaxing experience.

“We can also take it a step further and ask, ‘What type of effects are you looking for?’ ” Pozantides said. “We ask this because every cannabis plant is equipped with both cannabinoids and terpenes; these compounds produce different characteristics such as focused or sleepy.”

Stonedhouse Dispensary’s Angela Pozantides and Maria B.

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She explained, “It's just developed so rapidly, where you can go into a shop and say, ‘I want something that is good for sleep,’ and we can give you recommendations for that; or ‘Something that helps with anxiety’; or ‘Something that gives me a little boost of energy’; ‘Something that's an appetite suppressant.’ ”

Pozantides stressed, “We can't give medical advice – but there's a lot of reports of consumers that have mentioned that these products are absolutely a game-changer. If they prefer not to take prescription pills – maybe they're weaning off of that – if they have certain ailments that maybe these products help with. That's what we are trying to push, is that these products can help with those things,” or if consumers just want to “have a good time.”

Customers can purchase products set at different price points, but they can’t consume those items inside the store.

Pozantides, 29, a Grand Island native, has "always been a consumer," and worked as a budtender for another dispensary called Buffalo Dreams, a place she said was instrumental in her own education.

“I was keeping tabs on when it became recreationally legal in New York state. It was very intriguing. I met someone who brought the opportunity on to apply for the license,” which she received last year.

Pozantides determined, “I wanted to be in an area where foot traffic is heavy, there's a lot going on. It's an area that I'm familiar with.

“Lewiston was top of mind for me, because I've worked at the Lewiston Stone House for the past eight years. Obviously, they're a seasonal business, so every summer I would bartend. I know the family really well. I really got to know the Lewiston residents and the regulars, and they're just really amazing people, and such an awesome community that they they're able to support each other. The small business community that they've built is so amazing.

“When I thought about being part of it, it really, really intrigued me. I know (property owner) Emery (Simon), and I knew that the space was available; so, I called him up and he said, ‘Let's do it.’ We signed the lease and got everything all set up, and spent last year just getting the dispensary set up, and got approval.”

Pictured, from left, inside Stonedhouse Dispensary, are co-owner Angela Pozantides and team members Richie S., Kariann O., Maria B. and Brittany H.

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She noted, “Everybody in the area has been so supportive, and I've gotten such overwhelmingly positive reactions to the shop being here, which makes me really happy. …

“We're excited for the season to kick off with Artpark and all the festivals, and obviously Olcott Lobster Company opening up front (replacing the Stone House). It's going to be a really busy season.

“Right now, I'm focusing on training the staff, making sure that they feel completely well-equipped to advise customers when they come in, and retain their business, and learn the system, learn the products. I have such an amazing team, and I think that's truly what sets us apart is the team that we've assembled. We just have such amazing people working for us. Most of them are Lewiston residents, so they kind of understand what people want and look for when they come into a shop on Center Street.”

Also sure to get customers’ attention is the extensive art collection Pozantides curated to offset the “tall white walls” and “really high ceilings.”

She found local artworks by researching the Lewiston Council on the Arts’ 2025 Art Festival participants.

“They just make such a wonderful addition,” Pozantides said. “They're so eye-popping. They're stunning, and they make the space – they truly do.”

She added, “We just really want to give back to the community in Lewiston. We really want to help uplift the other businesses around us, and we hope that they'll do the same. Now that we're open, they have been great. We really want to be integrated with the community. That's something that we're super-excited to do.”

Stonedhouse Dispensary opened with these hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit www.stonedhouseny.com or call 716-306-3500.

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•Cannabis is for adult consumers.
•Niagara Frontier Publications does not provide medical advice nor endorse any form of treatment.