Surf’s Up Dispensary in Dorchester MA

Surf’s Up, a Dorchester original

Nobody surfs in Dorchester Bay. That is the joke, and it is also the whole story. Surf’s Up Dispensary in Dorchester MA takes its name from a 1980 punk record made by a Dorchester kid, and that kid is now one of the people behind the shop at 770 Gallivan Boulevard, right by Neponset Circle.

The store sums itself up in four words on its homepage: “High Standards. Hometown Vibes.” It is locally owned and operated, it stocks products from brands across Massachusetts, and it promises a laid-back room where you can ask anything. If you live in Cedar Grove, Neponset or anywhere off I-93, here is what to know before you paddle out.

Open since March 2026

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission lists 770 Gallivan Boulevard as an active, licensed adult-use cannabis retailer, open since March 10, 2026. A few weeks later, the neighborhood site Caught in Dot welcomed the shop in its New to the Neighborhood column, reporting that Surf’s Up was “now up and running” with flower, edibles, vapes and pre-rolls from Massachusetts brands.

Getting there took patience. The Dorchester Reporter covered the plan in December 2023, when the team held a second community meeting as it worked through city approval. Boston asks for a new community meeting every six months while a proposal is under review, and the team told the city nothing had changed since the first one. The Reporter also noted that the applicants agreed to a mitigation agreement with the Cedar Grove Civic Association. More than two years after that meeting, the doors opened.

No Surfin’ in Dorchester Bay

The name comes from a song, and the song comes from a photo. In the summer of 1980, co-founder Richie Parsons and his short-lived Boston punk band, The Gremies, released a 7 inch record called “No Surfin’ in Dorchester Bay.” The store’s own blog tells the story: the band staged a cover shot of Parsons standing on a surfboard in Dorchester Bay, and Kathy Chapman took the photo at Tenean Beach.

The record became a cult favorite around the neighborhood. According to the store’s blog, it was even half seriously floated as an unofficial Dorchester anthem, and special Dorchester editions were sold at Gerard’s and Casali’s. Caught in Dot adds that Parsons had a “Dorchester Edition” stamp made for the copies he sold in neighborhood corner stores, and that Boston Rock Magazine ran a half page photo spread on the record.

So when it came time to name a cannabis shop a few minutes from Tenean Beach, the choice was easy. Surf’s Up is a wink at the song, the photo and a neighborhood that has always made its own culture.

A hometown founder

Parsons is Dorchester through and through. The Surf’s Up About page says his family lived on Westmoreland Street from 1916 to 2016, a full century in one neighborhood. Caught in Dot reports that he grew up there, went to St. Brendan’s and local public schools, and has more than six years of experience in the cannabis industry. When the Dorchester Reporter covered the proposal, it described him as a St. Brendan’s native who managed a medical cannabis dispensary.

That background shapes the shop. The goal, in the words of the About page, is a welcoming, unpretentious and neighborly dispensary, the kind of place where a first timer and a longtime regular both feel at home.

Three values behind the counter

The About page lays out three core values, and they are worth knowing before you walk in:

Staying grounded. Meet customers where they are, with no judgment and no pressure.
Being authentic. Keep cannabis safe, free of stigma and straightforward.
Keeping it local. The store calls itself “by locals for locals.”

The homepage backs that up with a promise of educational resources and real talk for the neighborhood. If you have questions, this is a place built to answer them.

A building with decades of Dorchester history

The address has fed and served the neighborhood for a long time. In a post on the store’s blog, Surf’s Up traces the story of 770 Gallivan Boulevard back to the 1930s and 1940s, when Dunn’s Grille, an Art Deco restaurant near Neponset Circle, served travelers and local regulars. By the late 1960s the spot was Linda’s Restaurant, known for its air conditioned dining room, fried chicken and hearty breakfasts. Later came a Bickford’s, the New England chain famous for comfort food and late night meals.

After a redevelopment, the property reopened in the early 2010s as a Verizon Wireless store, which is the space the Dorchester Reporter described when the cannabis plan first went before the neighborhood. The blog notes that more than 50,000 cars travel Gallivan Boulevard every day. Now the building starts a new chapter as Surf’s Up.

The drive-in across the street

There is more history right across the road. In another blog post, Surf’s Up looks back at the Neponset Drive-In, which opened in 1950 and could hold more than 1,300 cars. For years it drew families and couples from all over Boston for double features and date nights, and it later hosted flea markets, community events and even church services before closing by the late 1970s. Wikipedia notes that Pope John Paul II Park, about 66 acres along the Neponset, was once a landfill and a drive-in theatre and now has picnic areas, soccer fields and walking paths.

What’s on the menu

Surf’s Up carries flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, tinctures and accessories, plus its own apparel. The menu changes often, so check the Shop page on the website to see what is in stock before you go. New releases also show up on the in-store screens and on the online menu.

One house rule worth knowing: when the team presented its plan, the Dorchester Reporter reported that the shop would not sell single pre-rolls, with a minimum purchase of three.

Order online, pick up in store

Surf’s Up makes it easy to skip the browsing. Shop the menu online, place your order, and pick it up at the store. The website does not mention delivery, so plan on picking up in person.

The VIP Program

Massachusetts adult-use shops play by strict rules, and Surf’s Up says plainly on its blog that it cannot offer discounts as an adult-use dispensary. What it has instead is a VIP Program for real-time updates and insider events. You can join online when you create an account or check out, or in the store at the register.

Budtender questions from the Surf’s Up blog

The store blog has a handy list of six questions to ask your budtender in Dorchester. Here they are, with the store’s advice in short:

What dosage range would you recommend for me? Your experience level shapes your tolerance, and a good budtender will suggest a potency that fits, whether that means starting low or moving up.
Which products work best for what I am looking for? Different cannabinoids produce different effects, so tell the budtender what kind of experience you want.
I have tried something before. What is similar but stronger or milder? A strain, gummy, vape or brand you already know is a great starting point.
What is the safest way to store these products at home? Keep them out of direct sunlight and heat, keep humidity out, use airtight containers and keep everything away from kids and pets.
Do you have anything new or niche that is getting great feedback? This is how you hear about new drops and less common formats.
Do you have any exclusive offers? The answer is the VIP Program, plus the in-store screens and online menu for the latest releases.

First-timer tips

New to cannabis? The Surf’s Up beginner’s guide walks you through a first visit: show your ID at the entrance, browse the menu or the displays, talk with a budtender and pay at checkout. Its advice on edibles is worth repeating. Effects can take 30 to 90 minutes to start and may last 4 to 8 hours, so the guide suggests 5mg of THC or less if you are new, and sums it up in four words: “Start low and go slow.” It also recommends a comfortable setting and a glass of water.

Plan your visit

Address. 770 Gallivan Boulevard, Dorchester, MA 02122, near Neponset Circle.

Hours. Monday through Thursday, 10am to 9pm. Friday and Saturday, 10am to 10pm. Sunday, 10am to 8pm.

Phone. (617) 370-0022.

Parking. The contact page promises “Tons of On-Site Parking,” and the store sits right off I-93.

Payment. The website does not list payment options, so call ahead if you want to check before your visit.

Adults 21+. Surf’s Up is an adult-use dispensary. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older.

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.

Your first visit, step by step

Check the menu online. See what is in stock on the Shop page.
Order ahead if you like. Pick up in store and skip the wait.
Bring your ID. A valid government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older.
Ask the budtender. Use the six questions above as your cheat sheet.
Join the VIP Program. Sign up at the register for updates and insider events.

Make a day of it in Dorchester

Dorchester is Boston’s biggest neighborhood, covering more than six square miles. Puritan settlers from Dorchester in Dorset, England, founded the town in 1630, and Boston annexed it in pieces until the official date in January 1870. The first town meeting was held here on October 8, 1633, and the Mather School, founded in 1639, is described as the first public elementary school in America. Every June, Dorchester Day marks the founding with a parade along Dorchester Avenue.

Chocolate has a Dorchester story too. John Hannon and Dr. James Baker introduced chocolate making to the colonies here in 1765, and the Walter Baker Chocolate Factory in Lower Mills ran until 1965.

Surf’s Up sits in the south end of the neighborhood, close to the water. Tenean Beach, where that famous surfboard photo was taken, is at the mouth of the Neponset River near the Neponset River Greenway. The Lower Neponset River Trail runs 2.4 miles from Port Norfolk, and Pope John Paul II Park is perfect for a walk. Cedar Grove, just up the road, is a residential area with Dorchester Park on its edge.

For a bigger outing, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Columbia Point was designed by I. M. Pei and dedicated in 1979. Franklin Park, established in 1885, covers 485 acres and is home to the Franklin Park Zoo.

Why Surf’s Up is worth the stop

A hometown founder, a punk rock name with a real story, a building that has served the neighborhood since the Art Deco days and plenty of parking off I-93: Surf’s Up is a Dorchester shop through and through. Come by, ask your questions and catch the wave.

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