Bronx Chef Marquis Hayes Opens First Licensed Dispensary in the Hamptons Amid Regulatory Hurdles

Marquis Hayes, a Bronx native with a background in elite culinary arts, has established Brown Budda as the first fully licensed dispensary in the Hamptons and the only Black-owned dispensary on Long Island. Hayes's journey into cannabis entrepreneurship was shaped by personal experience caring for his diabetic mother, which instilled in him a deep respect for plant-based healing and precision. "I would usually wake up to a mom that had a sugar coma, and I would have to pry her mouth open with a spoon and put orange juice in it, so she wouldn’t have a stroke or die," Hayes recalled, highlighting how early responsibility influenced his approach to health and business

Brown Budda's launch was not without significant obstacles. Despite scoring highly in New York’s Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) program, Hayes faced a protracted 17-month permitting delay. During this period, he was forced to absorb approximately $60,000 in monthly expenses just to keep the business afloat, all while navigating conflicting signals between state approvals and local resistance. "Imagine being given permission to sell and then not being able to sell because someone in town says you’re illegal," Hayes said, encapsulating the frustration of operating within an evolving regulatory landscape

The dispensary's opening comes at a time when the broader regulatory context is under strain. Disputes over the boundaries of municipal and state authority have led to lawsuits, with towns like Southampton challenging state cannabis regulations. Advisory opinions from the Cannabis Control Board have questioned the validity of certain local restrictions, underscoring ongoing uncertainty for operators like Hayes. Despite these obstacles, Hayes maintains that the ultimate authority over cannabis retail rests with the state, not municipalities

Brown Budda distinguishes itself through an ethos of hospitality and intentionality, drawing on Hayes's fine dining background. Co-founded with psychotherapist and yoga practitioner Kim Stetz, the dispensary offers a unique atmosphere where customers are welcomed with hot beverages and a calming environment. Hayes envisions Brown Budda as more than a retail outlet, with plans to incorporate art and culture into the cannabis experience. "I really wanna have the very first cannabis art gallery aspect where people can come in and envision or glance at art while they sip a mocktail infused beverage," he shared, signaling ambitions to redefine cannabis retail in the Hamptons

For Hayes, the challenges of launching Brown Budda are not just about business survival but about representation and the future of social equity in cannabis. Having been positioned as an early face of New York’s equity rollout, he feels the weight of proving that such programs can yield sustainable, disciplined operators rather than mere symbols. As he put it, "I gotta prove to them that I’m not a fucking welfare recipient looking for handouts? That I am kind of the mascot of this equity program? You need to take me seriously."

From the OG Lab newsroom perspective, Brown Budda’s journey is pivotal for the cannabis industry’s ongoing debate over equity, regulation, and local control. Hayes’s perseverance highlights the real-world stakes of cannabis policy and the need for regulatory clarity. As the courts and regulators continue to define the rules, the success of operators like Brown Budda will shape the future of social equity in cannabis retail—an issue the industry cannot afford to overlook