The Pass Dispensary in Sheffield MA

The Pass, locally grown in Sheffield

At The Pass Dispensary in Sheffield MA in Sheffield, your cannabis does not travel far. The company grows its own flower right next to its flagship dispensary at 1375 North Main Street, and it likes to say “the distance from harvest to processing and sale is measured in footsteps, not miles.”

The Pass calls itself a “vertically integrated cultivator, producer, and retailer of premium cannabis products,” with two simple promises: “Locally Grown, Expertly Curated” and “All Are Welcome.” If you live in the southern Berkshires or are driving up Route 7, here is what to know.

A Sheffield story

Founder and owner Chris Weld is a longtime Sheffield resident, and he chose his hometown on purpose. “Sheffield is a small, bucolic right-to-farm town and it felt authentic to put The Pass here,” he said in a Chronogram feature produced with the company. Michael Cohen joined as co-founder and president, and WAMC reported that the business described itself as locally owned and operated.

Open since July 2020

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 1375 Main Street in Sheffield as an active, licensed adult-use cannabis retailer, open since June 12, 2020, with cultivation and product manufacturing licenses at the same address. The Pass opened its doors to the public on Friday, July 17, 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, and created 40 new jobs. Back then, WAMC noted, it billed itself as the store closest to New York City.

What’s in a name

The name has three meanings, according to a 2020 Chronogram feature produced with The Pass: the mountain pass setting in the Berkshires, the fact that cannabis “passed” into legal status in Massachusetts, and the old tradition of passing a joint among friends.

Freshness you can taste

Freshness is the whole point of growing next door. “Having our flower production on-site ensures that our customers are getting the freshest cannabis possible,” head of cultivation Pete Steimer said in that 2020 feature. He explained that flower is dried and cured on site, hand-trimmed, and third-party tested before it is packaged, and that products typically reach customers within a few weeks of testing. “Time spent on the shelf allows terpenes and cannabinoids to degrade if not stored properly,” he added. Products are labeled as indoor or outdoor grown, so you always know where your flower came from. Marketing manager Ally Brown noted at the time that the in-house products move fast: “As soon as our in-house products hit the menu, we sell out rather quickly.”

Farm to label

Weld sums up the goal in one line: “grow the freshest cannabis possible, as sustainably as possible.” The Pass calls it farm-to-label. It grows flower in indoor, greenhouse and farm field facilities, using Berkshire water and technology for precise irrigation and climate control, and it chooses genetics for yield, purity and consistency. The company says it aims to grow “clean, crystalline cannabis,” and it describes a commitment to “responsible agriculture and production processes.”

The operation has grown well beyond the farm. The Chronogram feature described two local cultivation facilities plus a 40,000-square-foot historic factory retrofitted for production and packaging. The Pass also wholesales its products to dispensaries across Massachusetts, so you may spot its products far from Sheffield.

Made in an engineer-led lab

What happens after harvest is just as hands-on. The Pass processes its cannabis in what it calls an “engineer-led processing lab” in Sheffield, turning raw plant material into concentrates, vape carts, gummies, mints, tinctures, topicals and more using “temperature, pressure, and speed.” Its team uses extraction to isolate specific cannabinoids and terpene profiles, or blends them for a whole-plant experience, and it checks quality with testing at every step.

Famous friends

The Pass has teamed up with some well-known partners, too. Its partnerships page lists Belushi’s Farm, a collaboration line of flower, pre-rolls and rosin featuring strains from Jim Belushi and his team, grown at The Pass. It also lists Green Revolution, a Washington company whose tinctures and shots are produced in Massachusetts, and Sweetgrass Botanicals, which made a small-batch rosin from Berkshire-grown flower. The Pass says its partners help it “create an impact for our local MA community.”

A bigger menu every year

By its second anniversary, The Pass had grown to nearly 80 employees, and its menu had grown from about 70 products to almost 200. “We believe in choices and the evolution of our menu from 70 products to 190-plus products,” Director of Retail and Customer Experience Rochea Monteleone said. Alongside its own flower, the shop carries products from select growers and brands across the state.

An airy, modern barn

The Pass describes its Sheffield shop as “an airy, modern barn,” built around “education, experience, and efficiency.” If you pre-ordered, express lanes get you in and out quickly. If you want to browse, budtenders take the time to ask questions and listen to your goals before suggesting products that fit your experience level.

Budtenders who guide you

The Pass says its mission is to “provide premium cannabis products and support customers through informed consumption,” for new and seasoned consumers alike. Its “friendly budtenders can help you select the right mix of cannabis products.” As the company puts it: “No matter your adventure or intention, there’s a quality, consistent and potent product ready to elevate your cannabis experience.”

What’s on the menu

The Pass carries flower, pre-rolls, vapes, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, topicals, accessories and apparel. It posts weekly “HIGHlights” deals and limited-edition specials, and you can join its email and text list for product updates, specials and events. Curious before you go? The Pass even offers a 360-degree virtual tour of the shop on its website.

Pre-order any time

You can pre-order any time through The Pass’s online menu. Orders are held until the end of the day, and anything placed after 7:45pm is ready after 9am the next morning. Pre-orders cannot be placed by phone.

Loyalty points for the good stuff

The Pass runs a loyalty program where points can be redeemed for non-cannabis items like glass, devices, accessories and apparel. Your point balance prints at the bottom of your latest receipt. Ask in the store to enroll. The Pass also runs monthly raffles for its regulars.

Plan your visit

Address. 1375 North Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257, on Route 7.

Hours. Monday through Thursday, 9am to 8pm. Friday through Sunday, 8am to 8pm.

Phone. (413) 644-6892.

Paying. Cash or debit. Debit runs through a cashless ATM with a $3.50 fee, and there is a regular ATM on site with a $1.00 fee.

ID. A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older. U.S. driver’s licenses and ID cards, military IDs, Massachusetts liquor IDs, passports and passport cards all work, and out-of-state licenses are accepted.

Adult-use only. The Pass does not offer medical pricing or discounts.

Massachusetts cannabis basics

Here are the state rules from the Cannabis Control Commission:

Age. 21 or older, with a government-issued ID for every retail purchase.
Carrying. Up to two ounces in public.
At home. Up to 10 ounces, and anything over two ounces must be locked up.
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. It is illegal to take cannabis out of Massachusetts, and it cannot be mailed. Sheffield sits right on the Connecticut line, with New York close by, so keep that in mind.

Your first visit, step by step

Take the virtual tour. Get a feel for the shop online.
Pre-order if you like. Orders are held until the end of the day.
Bring your ID and payment. Cash or debit, with ATMs on site.
Ask about the farm. Try something grown right next door.
Enroll in loyalty. Earn points toward glass and gear.

Make a day of it in Sheffield

Sheffield is a Berkshire County town of 3,327 people (2020 census), in the Housatonic River valley on the Connecticut border. It was incorporated on June 22, 1733, as the first town in what is now Berkshire County, after settlers bought the land in 1724 from Chief Konkapot and other Stockbridge Mahican people.

History runs deep. In 1773 the town approved the Sheffield Resolves, an early petition against British rule that also laid out individual rights. Elizabeth Freeman, known as Mum Bett, sued for her freedom and won in 1781. And the final and deadliest battle of Shays’ Rebellion was fought in Sheffield on February 27, 1787.

The outdoors are spectacular. Mount Everett, part of the Taconic Range, and the Appalachian Trail both cross the town. Bartholomew’s Cobble and the Old Covered Bridge are favorite stops, and the village of Ashley Falls, a former resort, has falls along the Housatonic near the state line. U.S. Route 7 runs right through town, and the Mass Pike is about 18 miles north in Lee.

Why The Pass is worth the stop

A dispensary next to its own grow, a founder who chose his hometown, cannabis grown with Berkshire water, a menu that keeps growing and a welcome for everyone: The Pass brings farm-to-label cannabis to the southern Berkshires. Head down Route 7 and see where it all grows.

Cannabis is for adults 21 and over. Please consume responsibly.