AYR Wellness makes name switch from Herbal Remedies official at two Quincy cannabis dispensaries

QUINCY — Most people who buy a business generally cannot wait to get the signs changed to tell everyone.

That was not the case for Kyle Ronellenfitch, a senior vice president with AYR Wellness in Boston.

“We wanted to make sure that we didn’t just rip the Band-Aid and change Herbal Remedies to AYR immediately,” he said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday afternoon. “We wanted to make sure it kept a local feel. This was always a really exciting addition to our portfolio, but that said, we’ve always wanted to keep it ‘hyperlocal.’”

AYR Cannabis Dispensaries bought the two Herbal Remedies dispensaries in Quincy two years ago, but the business didn’t make it “official” until Thursday’s rebranding during a grand opening for each.

“Quincy is a great spot. This is a really unique space,” Ronellenfitch said. “We believe in the power of the plant, so we want everyone to have access.”

Things will remain the same outside of a change in signage.

“You’re still going to have all the same great people and the same great products,” store manager Taylor Bricker said. “The biggest change that AYR has been able to bring to us is our community involvement.”

“Being a force for good has always been critical to AYR and every community we live in,” Ronellenfitch said. “We’re really big on the staff volunteering in the community. We give the staff specific PTO (paid time off) volunteer hours they can use to go out and serve the community.”

AYR Wellness, headquartered in Miami, owns and operates cannabis dispensaries in seven states. The 4430 Broadway location in Quincy is the only local dispensary with a medical certification to charge customers a one percent tax versus the standard state tax rate.

AYR’s other Quincy location is at 1837 Broadway.