Caroline’s Cannabis, a Massachusetts original
Some dispensaries are part of the market. Caroline’s Cannabis Dispensary in Uxbridge MA helped start it. The store at 640 Douglas Street opened its doors in March 2019, in the early days of adult-use cannabis in Massachusetts, and it has been a Blackstone Valley favorite ever since.
Caroline’s describes itself as the first independently owned and the first woman-owned adult-use recreational dispensary in Massachusetts. That is a big claim, and it comes with a story worth telling. Here is a closer look at the store where it all began.
Opened in March 2019
The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 640 Douglas Street in Uxbridge as an active, licensed cannabis retailer, open since March 7, 2019.
That means the Uxbridge store has been serving customers for more than seven years. Whether you are a history buff or just like a good local story, this is a store that has been part of Massachusetts cannabis almost from the very beginning, and it has grown alongside the industry ever since. In late 2021, Caroline’s opened a second store in nearby Hopedale.
The woman behind the name
The store is named for its owner, Caroline Frankel, a Massachusetts native. The company describes her as a pioneer in the state’s cannabis industry and a part of East Coast cannabis history, and says her work inspires women and entrepreneurs across Massachusetts and beyond.
Caroline’s Cannabis describes itself as 100 percent woman-owned and 100 percent social equity owned. Its goal is ambitious: to become a nationally recognized, woman-owned cannabis brand. The store also links to Buy Weed From Women, a site that highlights women-owned cannabis businesses.
Be KIND
Every company has a mission statement. Caroline’s fits its into two words: “Be KIND.” The company says its aim is to spread kind words about cannabis and to share experience and knowledge in a safe, comfortable environment. Even the store’s email address starts with “bekind.”
That spirit carries over to the counter. Caroline’s says it is led by a diverse staff of passionate cannabis enthusiasts, and that its budtenders educate newcomers and regulars alike on safe, sustainable and beneficial products. Ask for a recommendation and you will get one.
A big menu with Massachusetts roots
Caroline’s calls its menu the largest recreational cannabis menu in Massachusetts. The store says it supports Massachusetts-grown cannabis and partners with in-state brands, with locally sourced products that include top-shelf options. Every product is described as lab-tested and compliant with state regulations.
Here is what you will find across the shelves:
- Flower
- Pre-rolls
- Vaporizers and vape cartridges
- Edibles
- Concentrates
- Topicals
- Tinctures
- CBD
- Accessories
The company also sells wholesale, so the Caroline’s name reaches beyond its own stores. Specials and everyday savings change often, so check the specials page before you head over.
Join the Inner Circle
Caroline’s loyalty program is called the Inner Circle. Members stay in the loop on the latest products, savings and events. Joining takes a minute on the store’s website, using the Join / Login page, and it is the easiest way to hear about new arrivals, store savings and upcoming events before everyone else does.
Order online, pick up in Uxbridge
Short on time? Order online from the Uxbridge menu and your order will be ready when you get to the store. Staff are on hand for product recommendations if you would rather shop in person.
Open late, every day
The Uxbridge store keeps long hours. It is open every day from 8am to 11pm, so it fits around early starts and late nights alike. The sister store in Hopedale is open daily from 10am to 10pm.
Uxbridge or Hopedale?
Caroline’s now has two stores, and they are close enough that you can pick whichever suits your day:
- Uxbridge: 640 Douglas Street, the original store, open since March 2019, every day from 8am to 11pm.
- Hopedale: 4 Charlesview Road, open since late 2021, every day from 10am to 10pm.
Both share the same phone number, (774) 243-0323, the same Be KIND approach and the same Inner Circle program. If you want an early start or a late stop, Uxbridge’s longer hours make it the easy choice.
Caroline’s has even published a guide on choosing a dispensary near Millville, which walks through the things worth comparing: hours, drive time, menu size, ID rules and payment. It is a good checklist for any dispensary, and a sign of how much the store leans on education.
Plan your visit
Address. 640 Douglas Street, Uxbridge, MA.
Hours. Open every day from 8am to 11pm.
Bring your ID. You need a valid, unexpired, government-issued ID showing you are 21 or older. Caroline’s accepts driver’s licenses, government ID cards, military IDs and passports. Temporary IDs, paperwork and medical marijuana registration cards are not accepted.
Adult-use only. Caroline’s is recreational only and does not give medical advice. Out-of-state visitors are welcome with a valid ID, but the store reminds customers that products bought in Massachusetts are only legal in Massachusetts.
Paying. Cash and debit cards are accepted, and there is an ATM on site. A debit service fee applies.
Your privacy. Caroline’s scans IDs to verify age and accuracy. The store says the system is not connected to an outside network, no personal information is transferred, and information is not shared with law enforcement or government agencies without a warrant.
Contact. Call (774) 243-0323 or email bekind@carolinescannabis.com. For wholesale questions, Caroline’s lists a separate address, wholesale420@carolinescannabis.com.
Massachusetts cannabis basics
New to adult-use cannabis in Massachusetts? Here are the ground rules from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission:
- Age. You must be 21 or older, and retail purchases require a government-issued ID.
- Carrying. State law lets you carry up to two ounces in public.
- At home. You can keep up to 10 ounces at home, and anything over two ounces must be locked in a secure place.
- Where to use it. Not in public places and not on federal land.
- In the car. No open containers in the passenger area. Use a closed container in the trunk or a locked glove compartment, and never drive under the influence.
- State lines. You cannot take cannabis out of Massachusetts, and you cannot mail it.
Caroline’s adds a few safety reminders of its own: keep products away from children, remember that edibles can take two hours or more to take effect, and in case of accidental ingestion, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or 911.
Your first visit, step by step
- Head to Douglas Street. The store is at 640 Douglas Street in Uxbridge.
- Bring a real ID. A valid, unexpired government ID, not a temporary one.
- Ask a budtender. Tell them what you are curious about. Educating newcomers is part of the job here.
- Explore the menu. With one of the biggest menus around, take your time.
- Join the Inner Circle. Sign up before you leave so you hear about savings and events.
Who shops at Caroline’s Uxbridge
Caroline’s serves Uxbridge and its neighbors, including Mendon, Blackstone, Millville, Douglas and nearby Massachusetts communities. Uxbridge also borders Rhode Island, with Burrillville and North Smithfield just over the line, so out-of-state visitors are part of the mix. Remember, though, that cannabis bought here has to stay in Massachusetts.
Make a day of it in Uxbridge
Uxbridge’s historical society calls it the Heart of the Blackstone Valley, and the town earns the title. The town sits about 36 miles southwest of Boston in Worcester County, inside the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor. It was colonized in 1662, incorporated in 1727 from part of Mendon, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. About 14,000 people live here, with 14,162 counted in the 2020 census.
Textiles built the town. Daniel Day built Uxbridge’s first woolen mill in 1809, and the Uxbridge Worsted plant later made U.S. Army uniforms and the first Air Force dress uniforms, a shade known as Uxbridge Blue.
Uxbridge also has a claim to fame in American history: Lydia Taft is credited as the first woman in America to vote. For a town now home to a pioneering woman-owned business, that is a nice bit of symmetry.
If you want to get outside, Blackstone Canal Heritage State Park, River Bend Farm and West Hill Dam are all in town. The River Bend Farm Visitor Center is the place to start for the heritage corridor, and the Southern New England Trunkline Trail passes through the area for walking and biking. Golfers have Blissful Meadows Golf Club, and the North Uxbridge Fire Museum and the Blackstone Valley Art Association round out a day of local culture.
History is everywhere in town. The Blackstone Canal, the Uxbridge Common District, the Central Woolen Mills District, Uxbridge Town Hall and the Waucantuck Mill Complex are all on the National Register of Historic Places. And Uxbridge kept making history for women after Lydia Taft: in 1922, its selectmen affirmed women’s right to serve on juries. Getting here is easy too, with Route 146 running through Uxbridge along with Routes 16, 122, 98 and 146A.
Why Caroline’s Uxbridge is worth the trip
Caroline’s Cannabis Uxbridge is a piece of Massachusetts cannabis history that is still going strong. It is independent, woman-owned and social equity owned, it says it carries the largest recreational menu in the state, it supports Massachusetts-grown cannabis, and it is open from 8am to 11pm every day.
Swing by Douglas Street, say hello to the team, and be kind.
For adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.
